Organizers getting ready for 500 Parade

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Race weekend is almost here and organizers with the 500 Festival are working on the final touches. That includes work for this year's 500 Festival parade.

The parade takes months to plan and weeks to set up for. The bleechers that line the streets here in downtown were set up 2 weeks ago.

This is all part of the preparations for Saturday. Preparations that include the construction of a dozen floats. Floats like Sponge Bob Square Pants and Dorothy the Dinosaur.

This is the 52nd year of the parade. 30,000 tickets have already been sold but you do not need a ticket to take in the parade.

Organizers are expecting at least 300,000 spectators this year. “The IPL 500 Festival Parade truly is one of the biggest and best parades in the nation it's really compared to the likes of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, we're one of the only parades left and still televised locally and nationally on television and I think one of the reasons is that it really shows the community's spirit,” said Brandi Davis-Handy with the 500 Festival.

You can watch the Parade on WISHTV at 8PM Saturday. 16 marching bands from around the country will also take part in this year's parade.

That is the largetst number of marching bands to ever participate. This year's Grand Marshal is college basketball analyst and basketball hall of famer Dick Vitale.

There will also be a slew of celebrities participating as well as all 33 drivers.