On Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their World Series victory over the New York Yankees, in a historic comeback win in Game 5, with a long-awaited open-top bus parade through downtown LA, followed by a pep rally at Dodger Stadium.
The parade started at City Hall, where fans gathered starting at 6:00 AM, and ended in the area of Fifth and Flowers Streets. It’s estimated that approximately 250,000 fans flooded the streets, wearing Dodgers jerseys that turned the cityscape into a vibrant sea of blue as they cheered and waved to the team passing by. The atmosphere was electric, with fans chanting and music blasting.
Among the highlights, fans witnessed Shohei Ohtani proudly lift his dog, Decoy, who was sporting a number 17 Dodgers jersey and a special parade access pass clipped to his collar. Decoy later enjoyed pets from young fans along the route, becoming an instant fan favorite.
As the parade concluded at a sun-soaked Dodger Stadium, Ohtani addressed the 42,000 fans gathered. “This is so special,” he said in English as his teammates celebrated alongside him. “I’m just so honored to be here and to be part of this team. Congratulations, Los Angeles, thank you fans.”
The Dodgers’ last victory parade came over three decades ago. After winning the World Series in 2020 without the chance to celebrate due to the pandemic, and the last parade-worthy win before that in 1988, the city turned out in full force for the occasion. Some fans climbed fences and traffic lights for a better view, while others decorated windows along the route, and waved flags, scarves, and handkerchiefs.
Inside Dodger Stadium, rapper Ice Cube opened the celebration with a performance of “It’s a Good Day,” with Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts dancing as players, families and staff joined them on the field. As each player spoke, the crowd erupted in cheers, especially for World Series MVP Freddie Freeman, who achieved a career milestone this season despite stepping away temporarily to care for his three-year-old son, Max, during an illness.
“What’s up, LA?” Freeman called out as he stepped up to the podium, with the crowd chanting his name. He reflected on his journey and said, “I only had one leg but I got a whole group of guys that had my back all year.” He also shared his gratitude for his teammates, “From the bottom of my heart, three months ago… when I came back after my son got sick, you guys showed out for my family and I. That was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had on the field.”
Earlier this year, Freeman’s son, Max, was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder in which the immune system attacks nerve cells. Max suffered full paralysis in July, prompting Freemad to leave the Dodgers temporarily to be with his family at the hospital. Following signs of Max’s recovery, Freeman returned to the field in August. Freeman’s family and Max joined him for Friday’s parade and stadium celebrations.
The festivities also honored Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela, who would have turned 64 on Friday. Several renditions of “Happy Birthday” were sung in honor of Valenzuela who passed away last month just three days before the Series began. The team commemorated him through the series, as well, with a uniform patch featuring his name and number. On Friday night, LA’s City Hall was lit in green, white, red, and blue– the Mexican flag and Dodgers colors– to honor his legacy.
