Gov. Ned Lamont announced Tuesday afternoon the state and city of Hartford will host a victory parade on Saturday for the UConn men’s basketball team, which won its fifth national championship Monday night in a 76-59 victory over San Diego State University.Â
The parade will begin at 11:30 a.m. on April 8 in downtown Hartford and will step off from the state Capitol building at the intersection of Trinity and Elm streets. From there, it will proceed north on Trinity Street, go through the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch, turn right (east) onto Jewell Street, turn left (north) onto Trumbull Street, and end at the intersection of Asylum and Trumbull streets.
A rally will begin at approximately 12 p.m. and will be held outside of the main entrance of the XL Center on Trumbull Street, where players, coaches, and other guests will be invited to give speeches.
Parade and rally organizers said they are relying on private donations and business sponsorships to finance the event. No state or city funding will be used, they said.
As in previous years, the victory parade will be produced by the Hartford Business Improvement District in collaboration with the state and city of Hartford, as well as a number of civic and business organizations.
To sponsor the event, businesses may choose from several sponsorship levels ranging from $10,000 to $2,500 or less. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact Chip McCabe at the Hartford Business Improvement District as soon as possible at 860-770-0788 or cmccabe@hartfordbid.com.
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