Thousands of fans packed into downtown Seattle on Tuesday to celebrate the Sounders MLS Cup championship.
The party started at noon at Seattle's Westlake Park, where players boarded rave green double-decker buses for a parade through city streets. Fans led the way with a banner reading "CHAMPIIONS," a nod to the team's 2nd MLS Cup victory.
City officials, including Mayor Jenny Durkan and King County Executive Dow Constantine, mingled with team leaders and some surprise guests, including part-owners Russell Wilson and Ciara.
See 5 of our favorite moments from "Celebrate the Sounders"
1.) Crowd chants for Head Coach Brian Schmetzer
During the parade, Schmetzer hopped off the team bus to mingle with fans on the street. During an interview with KING 5, the crowd started chanting Schmetzer's name:
2.) Russell Wilson & Ciara hype up the crowd
Russell Wilson led the Seattle Seahawks to an epic overtime win over the 49ers Monday night. But the very next morning, the quarterback and his wife Ciara were front and center at the Sounders' championship parade and rally:
3.) Team captain Nicolás Lodeiro dances with his son at championship rally
Cute alert! Seattle Sounders team captain Nicolás Lodeiro took center stage at the Championship Rally at the Seattle Center. He was joined by his adorable young son, who joined dad Nico for a dance in front of the cheering crowd:
4.) Sharing a Sounders scarf
This moment stole hearts across Seattle. KING 5 anchors Jake Whittenberg and Mimi Jung were live at the Seattle Center when they stopped to interview young fans. When Jake asked the little boy if he enjoyed the parade, the boy said he lost his scarf. Jake didn't hesitate to wrap the boy in his own scarf — and the look on the boy's face was priceless:
The boy's family later shared these sweet photos and words:
5.) "Crafty" Chris Daniels gets long-distance interview with goalie Stefan Frei
Covering a moving parade isn't easy. Especially when the stars of the show are on top of a double-decker bus. But KING 5 Chief Reporter Chris Daniels came up with a clever way to get interviews with the players on board. His efforts were acknowledged by star goalie Stefan Frei:
