Philly Phanatic!!! It’s parade day, everyone!

Sign hanging outside City Hall at Broad Street

If you want the definition of insanity, Broad Street is it. After spending two hours on the train - more than twice my normal commute - and battling through the crowds in Suburban Station, I emerged to find the packed sidewalks surrounding City Hall roaring with elation. That was around 9AM. 

It’s now a little after 10, and the streets are impassable. I work on the 16th floor of a building on Broad and Spruce, and you can hear the constant screaming of the fans. The sea of red and white stretches the whole way up to City Hall and down as far as you can see. Each car that manages to squeak by honks its horn repeatedly, drawing even larger swells of joy from the crowds.

They are hanging out of windows, off of balconies, and gathering on rooftops. People are leaning out the sides of the parking garages.

I have never seen a mass of people more energized in my entire life.

 

Then again, never could there be a more deserving city than Philadelphia today. Celebrate and be merry, Phanatics everywhere!

Phillies fans on Broad Street, 11AM

UPDATE 11:16 AM - A streaker was just arrested outside our office. Sorry folks, no pictures of that one.