Knicks fans pack Brooklyn bar for parade watch party as NYC continues celebration

If you wanted to attend Thursday's Knicks parade but were crowded out, you're not alone.

But thousands still had a chance to celebrate at watch parties across the city, including one in Brooklyn where fans turned an early morning bar crowd into a full-on celebration.

"It is the best time to be a New Yorker"

At Block Hill Station, fans cheered over beer and bagels as the city's excitement spilled far beyond the parade route.

"Classic New York thing. And, you know, the whole thing going on, you know, 'my bagels Jewish' and all that stuff. Why not? Gotta ride along with it," said co-owner Dave Alvarado.

Alvarado said the bar made a last-minute decision to open early Thursday to screen the event.

"It is the best time to be a New Yorker right now," he said.

The watch party drew fans who had tried, and failed, to reach the parade itself.

"We woke up at 3 o'clock, made the trip from the Bronx. We got there at 5 o'clock. Unfortunately, we got out the wrong exit," Knicks fan Julia Cuffy said.

But once the official festivities reached capacity, many found a different way to join in.

"It was crazy. Down there. I mean, it was fun, but it was crazy. A lot of walking around. So we decided, let's find a nice bar. And we found this one on Knicks Reddit," said Meghan Ducray, visiting from upstate.

"I don't even have Teams notifications on"

And many took the day off to celebrate with the city.

"I don't even have Teams notifications on. You can cancel that. Absolutely not. You can't reach me!" Knicks fan Candice Bee said. "I was asking people yesterday, like, 'Are y'all working tomorrow?' And anybody that says yes, I was like, 'Lame! Loser!' No, I'm just kidding."

Cheers erupted as players were handed keys to the Big Apple, marking a moment fans said felt long overdue.

"Couldn't be happier for them, so well deserved," Knicks fan Brandon Ford said.

For some, the celebration carried deeper meaning.

"I wish my dad was here to have a great time with this. I know he would enjoy it for sure. We used to watch the games a lot," Cuffy said.

In Park Slope, fans ended the day the way many New Yorkers did, celebrating with strangers over a pint in a city painted blue and orange.

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