The live updates were published throughout June 20, 2026.

If the Carolina Hurricanes’ victory over the Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup was indeed a perfect storm, the storm surge arrived in downtown Raleigh Saturday, when an estimated 150,000 people gathered for a loud, boisterous celebration.

The championship parade started on schedule at 11 a.m. at Hillsborough and St. Mary’s streets and wrapped up at City Plaza on Fayetteville Street about an hour later.

Relive the day to see what happened at the Canes’ victory parade as well as photos and videos.

Jessica Banov, Thad Ogburn, Janelle Mella, Ava Menkes and Steve Wiseman of The News & Observer contributed reporting.

2:30 p.m. It’s official

Raleigh police put the crowd count at 150,000 people — roughly a third of the city’s population.

“I did not expect that, for sure,” said Canes owner Tom Dundon. “Like, I didn’t know. That’s a lot of people. I was surprised. It’s, also, you know, seeing all the little kids, my guys up there with water guns, and all the little kids in front, thinking about how many people have this connection now and what that’ll mean for the future, is kind of what kind of will hit me.”

2:15 p.m. Win the Stanley Cup, Be the Stanley Cup

If people missed seeing the Stanley Cup on Saturday, mega-fan Megan Collins offered them a consolation: She dressed up as the Cup herself.

On top: a silver-painted bowl, affixed to a headband.

The middle: a silver sequined top with a Canes logo.

And the bottom: a bedazzled laundry basket that served as both a skirt and the base of the Cup replica.

Collins, who has been a huge Canes fan for at least 15 years, was amazed at people’s response as she made her way around downtown. People have asked to take their photos with her, adding to the experience of an unforgettable day and an unforgettable Stanley Cup win.

“It means everything,” she said of winning the Cup. “I’m losing my voice. I’m losing my mind. It’s been one of the most incredible experiences of my whole life.”

2 p.m. Confetti and thoughts of next year

Nearing the rally’s end, an explosion of red and white confetti shot out on both sides of the stage, falling onto the crowd packed on Fayetteville Street.

The crowd very slowly dispersed, and people were seen scooping up handfuls of the confetti and pocketing it or stashing it in their bags, and even collapsible chairs, as reminders of the joyous day in Raleigh.

“That’s memorabilia right there,” said Jeremiah Holden. “It’s been 20 years coming. We deserve this right here.” Holden, 33, said he’s been a Canes fan since he was a teen but now considers himself a “peak Caniac.”

“This is right on time,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll get some more next year.”

He patted his bag after adding some confetti.

“Right now it’s memorabilia.”

1:40 p.m. Biggest crowd in history? We’ll drink to that

As the players’ raucous speeches wrapped up, ABC11, The N&O’s newsgathering partner, had estimated the crowd size at 150,000 people — largest-ever in downtown Raleigh.

Meanwhile, on the back left side of the stage on Fayetteville Street, players tossed beers into the crowd, where some fans immediately shotgunned them.

As red and white strips of confetti burst from the front of the stage, fans wrapped their arms around each other’s shoulders, swaying back and forth and singing along to Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel.”

1:30 p.m. “This is crazy”

As the Canes players took the stage to the roaring crowd stretching block after block up Fayetteville Street, forward Seth Jarvis saw the cheering fans, turned to his teammates and said ‘This is crazy’ while slowly shaking his head.

1 p.m. Hurricane Highway and a shirtless Brind’Amour

“They said we were a bunch of jerks,” Gov. Josh Stein shouted from the rally stage, prompting boos as he recounted the claims of Hurricanes doubters who said Raleigh was “too small” to be a hockey town. “To them I ask, Is there anything small about this celebration?” Stein said to loud cheers that got louder when he announced his proclamation to rename Edwards Mill Road between Wade Avenue and N.C. 54 “Hurricanes Highway.”

Shortly afterward, Hurricanes Coach Rod Brind’Amour took the stage to chants of “Take it off! Take it off!”

Fans hoped for a reprise of his shirtless pose from 2006 — and a glimpse of “Rod the Bod” — and they got it when a pair of players’ hands ripped away his shirt.

Thus exposed, Brind’Amour hoisted the Stanley Cup to huge applause.

12:30 p.m. “We all agree we love the Canes”

None of Gov. Josh Stein’s kids live in North Carolina.

But when they came to Raleigh for the holidays, the family made sure to get tickets to see the Canes at the Lenovo Center. And the “Lenny” was where Stein watched the Canes clinch the Stanley Cup. His voice is still recovering from last Sunday, he said.

Stein said Canes owner Tom Dundon had the “brilliance” to hire Rod Brind’Amour, who “exudes leadership” and brought in the right players to fit his vision to take the Canes from their 10-year “walk in the wilderness” to becoming a championship contender.

From his vantage point as governor, Stein said he was grateful to the Canes for bringing the state together — so much so that tens of thousands were in downtown Raleigh Saturday. “In life, there’s a lot to divide us,” Stein said. “We can always find things to separate us. But we all agree that we love the Canes.”

12:05 p.m. What’s it like on the parade scene?

People are standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Kids are on top of their parents’ shoulders. Fans climbed on rooftops, on top of trash cans and into garden beds for a better view. A sea of arms waving cell phones and towels greeted the players as they passed and headed toward the rally.

Strangers became fast friends, with people sharing stories of Canes victories past, 2006 memories, good luck charms they swore helped the team get this win.

The mood was joyous, with everyone talking about how much this has drawn the Triangle together.

“Hey y’all, let’s do this again next year,” someone yelled.

The crowd roared.

11:55 a.m. Saving the best of the Canes for last

The last of the four Canes buses passed the starting point on Hillsborough Street just before noon, signaling the parade’s end. Thousands filed into Hillsborough Street behind them, following the procession to the Capitol and ultimately down Fayetteville Street to the celebration rally.

Others headed to nearby bars.

The Avenue at the corner of Hillsborough and Glenwood Avenue was packed. As “Wagon Wheel” blared over speakers and shots poured freely, the scene seemed like midnight on a busy Saturday, not 11:45 a.m.

11:45 a.m. How many at the parade? A lot

Fans packed Fayetteville Street from sidewalk to sidewalk, leaving only inches between.

It was too early to guess at a crowd count, but many in attendance said it far surpassed any crowd they had seen at Raleigh’s Christmas parade, with spectators standing a dozen deep at any point along the parade route.

11:40 a.m. Confirmed: Raleigh is a hockey town

Torry Holt stood outside the stage area and took pictures with his own fans. He is a former N.C. State football player and Pro Bowl wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams.

“Raleigh is a hockey town,” he said, emphasizing each word on his shirt. “We are Stanley Cup champions. The best in the business. This is one of the best cities in the country. Go Canes. Go. Raleigh.“

He greeted his own fans and took photos with them. One of them was John Palczwk, a former football player in his own right.

He and Holt agreed that wining the Cup makes a good argument for a Major League Baseball team in Raleigh.

“I just think this town is perfectly made for pro sports because of all the corporate business we have here,” Palczwk said. “It’s the money that does it. Tom Dundon is a hell of an owner. He’s pushing this.”

11:35 a.m. Enter the Cup

The Stanley Cup began its ride through Raleigh atop the last of four open-air buses, held aloft by fan favorites Jordan Staal, Sebastian Aho, Jaccob Slavin and Taylor Hall.

11:30 a.m. Ring the bell!

Off Salisbury Street, three men climbed to the top of First Presbyterian Church and rang the bell in a three-horn rhythm that any fan recognizes as “Let’s Go Canes!”

A crowd nearby responded with vociferous callback.

11:20 a.m. Famous fan sighting

“Get ‘em, Roy!” shouted one fan near the Capitol. “Get ‘em, Roy!”

Former Gov. Roy Cooper, known as an ardent Canes fan, moved through crowd drawing claps in his gray polo with “Stanley Cup Champions” across the front.

11:15 a.m. Fans say: “We’re like that in Raleigh”

Kuwan Sutton hadn’t had the chance to go to a Canes game until roughly five years ago when his friend invited him.

Even as a Raleigh native and a Canes fan for over 20 years, he wasn’t sure the Canes truly had the “loudest house in the NHL.”

Then he felt the atmosphere of the pregame opener.

“Of course, the crowd starts going crazy as soon as the players are coming out,” Sutton said. “I don’t know if any other NHL team compares, honestly. We’re like that in Raleigh.”

A couple years later, when Sutton started dating his fiancée, Mandissa Alexander, he invited her to a Canes game. Like Sutton, Alexander said she enjoyed the pregame atmosphere, like the shouts of “red” during “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

But Alexander also saw the chaos of the game. The rowdy fans. The mid-game fights. For her, it was like golf met WWE with elements of a roller derby. She loved it. Now, Sutton said, she’s a bigger fan than him.

11 a.m. Canes victory parade officially begins!

As the parade starts rolling, fans on Hillsborough Street chant “We got the cup!”

An NC State marching band kicked off festivities by playing “Rock You Like a Hurricane.”

10:55 a.m. Fans recall 2006 and say, “It’s nice to see this.”

Lifelong Raleigh resident Betsy Pfenning attended the sold-out 2006 Stanley Cup Final game with her husband and father-in-law when the Canes won their first trophy.

Everyone stood for the whole game, she said.

She was sitting by herself for the start of the game, but by the time she left the section to join her family, she had bonded with the neighboring fans and was a little sad to leave. Pfenning sees similarities between the 2006 team and this year’s, she said. The captains are strong leaders, and there seems to be a real camaraderie among the players.

She and her husband arrived at City Plaza around 8 a.m. They’re recording the parade to watch later but wanted to make sure they could hear the speakers at the rally. She never doubted the Canes would bring home the trophy this year.

“It’s nice to see this,” she said.

10:50 a.m. Canes parade draws fans with agendas

When there are thousands upon thousands of people in one place, it’s an opportunity to get your message out — even if it’s not remotely related to the Carolina Hurricanes.

That was the case with the lone sign holder who had a plea about nearby St. Mary’s street.

“Repave St. Mary’s Street” the sign read.

10:45 a.m. Need a traffic update? Look here.

The city sent out a text alert asking people to move to the sidewalk, cautioning that the parade can’t begin until the route is clear.

The city of Raleigh suggests attendees sign up to get real-time updates on traffic, weather and safety. Text CANESPARADE to 888777.

10:40 a.m. Tribute to Rod the Bod

Carleigh Hiscock wore a custom T-shirt with a photo of bare-chested Coach Rod Brind’Amour holding up the Stanley Cup trophy. The photo, taken inside the locker room after the Canes’ win in Las Vegas, made the social rounds with the words “Rod the Bod,” a nickname Brind’Amour has had for years.

“I want him to see it,” Hiscock said. It arrived two days ago, just in time, and earned plenty of approval from the crowd passing by her.

“Great shirt,” someone said as they squeezed through a tight corridor.

Hiscock describes herself as “a little too obsessed” with the Canes, especially the coach.

“I think Rod is probably the most iconic coach there is. I mean he won the cup for us in 2006 as captain. Now he’s our coach. He never gave up. There’s only positive things to say about him.”

As for why that particular photo of Brind’Amour?

“Obviously his body. He’s known as Rod the Bod. He looks like he’s 26 in this picture. He’s iconic, simply iconic.”

10:30 a.m. The Canes’ youngest fans

What to do when you have little ones and it’s a long wait for the parade to start?

You put them to work decorating.

That’s what Sam Gentry did. His preschool-age daughter, Ellery, was keeping busy with multicolored sidewalk paint decorating the Canes’ victory parade route.

“My mom traced it, and I’m coloring it in,” Ellery noted, putting the finishing touches on a “Go Canes” message.

“It’s a good way to get the next generation of Canes fans involved,” dad Sam said. “And maybe some of the players will see it.”

10:10 a.m. Bigger than than the Canes’ 2006 win

Oxford resident William Anna, 62, came to the parade with his son around 8 a.m.

Waiting for the events to begin, he stood in the shade along Fayetteville Street wearing custom red-and-white overalls with a Canes logo cut out from his son’s old kid-sized jersey sewn to the front. Meanwhile, his son sat in the sun.

Anna can boast Canes fandom dating to 2003, and he’s been a season ticket holder for five years. He attended Game 5 and a watch party for Game 6.

This year’s victory feels bigger than it did in 2006, Anna said, in part because of social media.

Thousands of people are here for different reasons, he said, gesturing to the crowd. But he’s just here to celebrate his team’s win.

10 a.m. Almost parade time, fans relive Canes win

Two loudspeakers set up at the intersection of Hillsborough and St. Mary’s streets are blaring the radio play-by-play of the final minutes of Sunday night’s game.

As it counts down the final seconds and the Canes snatch victory, the assembled parade crowd cheers as if hearing the news for the first time.

For most, it’s a replay loop that never gets old.

9:30 a.m. Winning means everything

Raleigh native Naz Idoura, 27, has been a Canes fan for as long as he can remember. Winning the cup “means everything” to him, he said.

A hockey player himself, a left wing for the North Carolina Autism Hockey League, Idoura said his favorite players are Seth Jarvis and Jalen Chatfield — a “brotha.”

With high costs and a busy work schedule, Idoura said he wasn’t able to make it to any Canes games this season. But he arrived in downtown Raleigh at 7:30 a.m. to make sure he could get a good spot for the victory parade and rally.

9:10 a.m. Even George loves the Canes

Dozens stood in line outside the Capitol to grab a quick selfie with George Washington’s statue decked out in a black Canes jersey, clutching an Easton hockey stick in his right hand.

Meanwhile, cars crawled past on Morgan Street, including a Raleigh police truck blaring out the iconic three-horn honk which prompted a “Let’s Go Canes” chant from fans nearby.

8:55 a.m. “For Rod! Always for Rod!”

When the parade gets underway, one of the first and loudest folks cheering will be Jessica Buck. She’s been positioned near the start of the route since 6:30 a.m. Buck has a long history with the Canes.

She was actually at the game in 2006 when the team won its first Stanley Cup. Though she wasn’t able to be in Las Vegas when the Canes won this Cup on Sunday, Buck has been excited and invigorated by this year’s team and playoff run.

What has thrilled her the most has been seeing Rod Brind’Amour — her favorite player in 2006 — now lifting the Cup as Hurricanes coach.

Asked when she expects to cheer loudest during the procession? “For Rod, of course! For Rod! Always Rod!”

8:45 a.m. Canes fans celebrate long wait for the Cup

Hillsborough resident Tracy Zacharzuk arrived in downtown Raleigh around 8:15 a.m., walked a mile from her parking spot and set up her chair at City Plaza.

A fan since 2007, Zacharzuk attended every home Stanley Cup Final game this season and said she was excited about the win. “Finally our time,” she said.

8:15 a.m. Canes fans already packed into downtown

The sun had barely risen but Canes fever was already burning early Saturday. Lifelong Raleigh resident Casey Currin, who stayed overnight at a downtown Raleigh hotel, hit City Plaza by 6 a.m.

A season ticket-holder since 2008, she’s endured through many years of empty stadiums. But she’s also seen the stadium packed, including at Game 5 and the Lenovo Center watch parties.

Her reaction when the Canes won it all? “I did cry,” she said.

Today, she’ll get a chance to see the trophy and shed tears with thousands of like-minded Caniacs.

Carson Moore of Mooresville got an even earlier start. The 16-year-old left home at 3:30 a.m. to get a front-row spot along the parade route, setting up his chair on Fayetteville Street at 4:50 a.m.

Who’s in the Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup parade?

Wondering who you’ll see in the celebratory parade through downtown Raleigh on Saturday? Here’s a list of players, coaches and others. The parade order is subject to change, per the Carolina Hurricanes.

Leading off will be a Raleigh Police Department motorcade and Raleigh Fire Department Honor Guard. The North Carolina State University’s marching band — the Power of the South — and dancers follow next.

Others on the route include Coach Rod Brind’Amour, the players, Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell, community hockey teams, Carolina Hurricanes alumni, Stormy, the Canes’ mascot, the Good Ol’ Canadian Boys (friends of Canes player Seth Jarvis), Canes broadcasters, Canes owner Tom Dundon and general manager Eric Tulsky.

— Esther Frances

Where is free parking in downtown Raleigh?

If you’re still hoping to find parking, you’d better be reading this in the car. The city is letting people park free at five city-owned lots near the parade route:

Cabarrus Street Deck: 436 S. Salisbury St.
Moore Square Deck: 233 S. Wilmington St.
Wilmington Street Station Deck: 117 S. Wilmington St.
City Hall Parking Deck: 201 W. Morgan St.
City Center Deck: 429 S. Wilmington St.

The state is also offering free parking at its lots and decks, including those for employees:

Lot 48: 500 Vaughn Court
Deck 64: 413 N. Salisbury St.
Deck 76: 415 N. Salisbury St
Deck 75: 333 N. Salisbury St.
Lot 3: 413 N. Wilmington Street
Lot 34: 207 E. North Street
Deck 77: 120 W. Edenton St.
Lot 25: 199 W. Peace Street
Lot 20: 227 E. Edenton St.
Lot 18: 101 N. Wilmington St.

— Autumn Coleman and Twumasi Duah-Mensah

How to watch the Stanley Cup parade on TV

The parade in downtown Raleigh starts at 11 a.m. It will be broadcast on ABC11, ABC11.com and their ABC11 North Carolina mobile app. The parade can also be streamed on Spectrum, WRAL and CBS17.

—Autumn Coleman

Autumn Coleman and Esther Frances contributed to this story.

uniquely

Fourth of July parade led by a four-legged hero who escaped an alligator’s mouth

Get unlimited digital access

#ReadLocal