Prepare the duck boats. It’s almost parade time in Boston.
Championship parades are one of the most important events for any sports city. It’s one thing to watch your favorite sports club win a title on television, and it’s even better when you’re in the building to see the action unfold in person.
However, parades allow the team and the city to become one, with fans flocking to see the athletes who won a trophy in person, celebrating with music, confetti and lots of alcohol.
Each city puts its own touch on the celebration. In Boston, it’s all about duck boats. These amphibious vehicles are common throughout the city thanks to Boston Duck Tours. When it’s a tournament, duck boats transform into party buses.
What exactly is a duck boat parade and what is its history in Boston? The Jugo Mobile explains it.
What is a duck boat parade?
A duck boat parade is exactly what it sounds like: a duck boat parade.
Tradition is a staple among Boston’s four major sports teams. While teams from other cities travel atop buses, trucks or other forms of transportation for their parades, Beantown uses duck boats. These vehicles are made to be driven on both land and water, although the parade routes have not included a trip along the Charles River or Boston Harbor.
Duck boats have a rear deck on the vehicles that allows players to stand and wave to the crowd as they pass by. It allows for closer interaction with fans, but also provides a barrier that protects teams from noisy crowds.
Simply put, it’s a unique way for the Celtics, Patriots, Bruins and Red Sox to make their parades stand out from the rest, with a twist that caters to Boston fans.
When did duck boat parades start in Boston?
He first duck boat parade in Boston it came in 2002, when the Patriots won the franchise’s first Super Bowl. Boston Duck Tours were first introduced in 1994, and the New England Championship was the first in the city since the tours’ inception.
Former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino implemented the idea and it stuck. Since then, duck boats have been synonymous with Boston’s celebratory parades and have been required quite frequently.
In the 21st century, Boston’s four teams in major North American sports leagues have combined for a total of 13 championships: six Patriots Super Bowls (2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2019), four World Series for the Red Sox (2004, 2007, 2013, 2018), two NBA titles for the Celtics (2008, 2024) and a Stanley Cup for the Bruins (2011).
What is a duck boat?
Ducks are vehicles that were originally in the US military. These machines, also known as DUKW boats, were military-style amphibious landing ships used during war to travel over land and bodies of water.
The most famous example of its use in action was in World War II during the D-Day invasion on the beaches of Normandy.