Indy 500 Parade Starts In Indianapolis

Indy 500 parade still has tickets available for those who have not made previous arrangement, reports the website of the Indianapolis parade organizers. Drivers arrived in downtown Indy for 500 Festival parade. They already got in cars to join the parade.

Indy 500 parade started at 9AM local time and the tickets run for $13.50.

Celebrating 52 years of tradition, the IPL 500 Festival Parade will return to the streets of downtown Indianapolis on Saturday, May 23, 2009.

More than 300,000 spectators will kick-off race weekend while enjoying time with family and friends by watching the pageantry and larger-than-life floats light up the city.

Children will be amazed by the sight of some of their favorite costumed characters. This year's event will feature SpongeBob SquarePants, Pablo & Tyrone from "The Backyardigans" and Dorothy the Dinosaur and Wags the Dog from "The Wiggles."

The tradition continues with the 33 starting drivers of the Indianapolis 500 serving as honorary grand marshals the day before the race, riding in the traditional rows of three, with the winner of the pole position bringing up the rear.

The 2009 Grand Marshal is college basketball analyst and basketball hall of famer Dick Vitale. Nationally-known celebrities, costumed characters, marching bands, patriotic units, specialty units, spectacular floats, and giant helium balloons filled the streets to celebrate the world's largest single-day sporting event, the Indianapolis 500.

The Parade will be telecast live and at 8 p.m. on WISH-TV 8, and on Versus from 5 - 6:30 p.m. EST.

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