Sea of 12s: Roughly 1 million fans flood Seattle for Seahawks parade with ‘no major incidents’

The Seattle Seahawks World Champions Parade kicked off with a trophy celebration at Lumen Field at 10 a.m. A parade along 4th Avenue followed the ceremony shortly after at 11 a.m.

“It’s about the 12s,” Seahawks General Manager John Schneider said at the trophy celebration. “It started with the 12s. It ends with the 12s.”

How cool is THIS?!? @KIRONewsradio @Mynorthwest @Seahawks #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/0NJ8prcJIK

— Luke Duecy (@LukeKIRO) February 11, 2026

Despite the event starting in the late morning, fans were lining up as early as 4:30 a.m. to get a good spot. Forty buses and floats were expected to travel through the parade.

“We’re all part of the Seahawks family, and it’s just great to see our fellow brothers win the game,” one fan, Tim, told KIRO Newsradio. “Just excited. I love being a 12. I’ll always be a 12 until the day I die.”

 

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Fans pack Seattle with no major issues

Roughly one million people attended, according to King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion.

“What a great day in Seattle, where roughly a million Seahawks fans packed the streets in celebration — and even more watched online. Law enforcement said there were no major incidents,” Manion wrote in a statement. “Thank you to the Seahawks — the players, the coaches, the staff — for an unforgettable season and for creating the experience we shared today. Quarterback Sam Darnold said this is a special place to play football. This is a special place to be a fan, too.”

Organizers, the same group that organizes Seafair annually, told KIRO 7 that it would be bigger and better than the event in 2014.

Approximately 80 porta-potties were installed across 3rd and 5th Avenues.

The celebration is ON!! #GoHawks #Seahawks @KIRONewsradio @Mynorthwest @Seahawks @SeattleSports pic.twitter.com/v4jwpdmN1E

— Luke Duecy (@LukeKIRO) February 11, 2026

“I’m trying to go up and get a seat somewhere nice,” one diehard 12 told KIRO Newsradio at 6:30 a.m. “Somewhere, anywhere along the route, it would be great to see the parade.”

Outside #LumenField the celebration is underway! #Seahawks #WorldChampions @KIRONewsradio @Mynorthwest @Seahawks pic.twitter.com/nX5AMlWhTQ

— Luke Duecy (@LukeKIRO) February 11, 2026

12’s are up, awake and ready! #Seahawks #SuperBowlLX We have stadium celebration and parade coverage stating at 6AM on SMN @KIRONewsradio @Mynorthwest pic.twitter.com/FUkpicqnY4

— Luke Duecy (@LukeKIRO) February 11, 2026

The parade began at 4th Avenue and Washington Street and ended at 4th Avenue and Cedar Street, with the Super Bowl champion Seahawks players celebrating with fans along the route.

Sidewalks, restaurants, bars — basically every square inch along the victory parade route is packed with people on 4th Avenue between South Washington and Cedar.

“It’s about being loud and getting caught up in the atmosphere and being excited,” another fan shared. “You know, 68,000 in there, or a million here. It’s just getting caught up in that energy is an experience that not a lot of people get.”

Restaurants and shops along the route are stocking up and calling in extra staff. For example, Pacific Provisions Café on Fourth Avenue usually closes in the morning on Wednesdays, but they will stay open until at least 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

PCC Community Markets near Fourth and Union is also staffing up, while the State Hotel at Second and Pike announced it sold out almost immediately after the Super Bowl win, according to The Puget Sound Business Journal.

Merchandise vendors have already flocked to the downtown parade route early, lined with Super Bowl-themed items, including pins, hats, flags, stickers, necklaces, clothing, and more. Some merch celebrates the franchise, the Super Bowl, and, more specifically, the team’s vaunted defense.

“The defense is awesome. The ‘Dark Side’ is just the best, bro,” one excited fan waiting for the parade said. “I was just excited that we’re bringing the parade back to Seattle, and I was super excited that we did it in San Francisco. What a great place to win the Super Bowl, smoking cigars inside the locker room.”

“I’m looking forward to just seeing the guys, just seeing them smiling and celebrating,” another fan shared. “I want to see a Marshawn Lynch moment. I want to see a bottle of Henny go down, or something … you know what I mean … something cool, because it’s a bunch of characters.”

Barricades lined 4th Avenue the whole way, with a more significant emphasis on public safety.

Public safety during championship parade

Seattle Police Captain Marc Garth Green said the department brought in backup and volunteers to keep everyone safe.

Officers all along the route, you’ll see them in their high-vis yellow vests,” Green stated. “That way, officers and citizens can find them easily in case of any need or questions that may arise.”

Green issued several tips for participants in Wednesday’s festivities.

“We encourage you to stay on the sidewalks. Do not get into the street,” Green said. “That becomes problematic for us as we do have to clear the streets for the parade floats, if you will, the vehicles coming through to make that safe. So if you’re coming down early and you’re going to plan on camping out just beyond the sidewalks, out of the way, and then once we get the barriers in and the fencing up, you’re free to move up close to those barriers.”

Renton PD escorting the Hawks to Lumen for the parade! pic.twitter.com/tsyuRJ2tyz

— James L. (@James_KIRORadio) February 11, 2026

No excused absences issued by SPS

Thinking about pulling the kids out of school for the Seahawks parade? Seattle Public Schools (SPS) said classes will go on as scheduled Wednesday, even with the victory celebration.

The district’s chief operations officer said it’s a great moment for the city, but attending the parade won’t count as an excused absence.

“I’m here for the experience, trying to see the trophy,” one student in attendance said.

The district also warned families to expect traffic and transit delays.

Across the lake, it’s another story. The Bellevue School District said absences will be excused if you have a note from a parent or guardian.

Contributing: Luke Duecy, KIRO Newsradio

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