The Brewers World Series championship parade is still a day away, but preparations are already underway in downtown Milwaukee.By Thursday, the first chairs had begun appearing along the parade route as fans started scouting out places to watch. Michael and Sue Brown drove downtown from Oak Creek to do the same.Milwaukee gears up for Brewers championship parade Milwaukee gears up for Brewers championship paradeMichael Brown has been a Brewers fan through decades of ups and downs and attended two World Series games in 1982. This time, he will get to watch the Brewers celebrate as world champions.This is just a dream come true, and I never thought I'd be able to see the Brewers win in my lifetime, Brown said.He and Sue are already preparing for Friday.We already got the chairs in the car, they said.The championship parade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Friday at North Fourth Street and West Wisconsin Avenue. It will travel through downtown before ending at Henry Maier Festival Park, where a championship rally will follow.Milwaukee Department of Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke said the city is anticipating about 250,000 people along the parade route.DPW preparations include putting up parking signs and hundreds of barricades, checking street lighting and making sure streets along the route are safe. Kruschke said fencing can begin going up along the route at 10 p.m. Thursday.The earlier you're here, the easier it's going to access that front row along Wisconsin Avenue, Kruschke said.The parade route is scheduled to close to traffic at 7 a.m. Friday, although Kruschke said closures could happen earlier if necessary. He encouraged groups coming downtown to carpool and warned that people arriving closer to the parade will likely have to park several blocks away and walk.The Milwaukee Police Department said parking restrictions will be enforced along the route and encouraged anyone with a vehicle parked there to move it by 7 a.m.Police also expect heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the Third Ward and Summerfest areas. The Wisconsin Avenue bridge over the Milwaukee River is currently the only restricted pedestrian area along the parade route, according to MPD.Open containers of alcohol are prohibited on city streets and sidewalks. Police are asking attendees to arrive early, park legally, lock their vehicles, and secure valuables.Businesses along the route are preparing for the crowds as well.Nat Davauer, owner of Draft Co. near the start of the parade, said his business has been scrambling to prepare after learning the celebration would be held Friday.We've been scrambling. We thought it was Monday, and then it's Friday, so we doubled down, Davauer said. A lot of phone calls, a lot of texts.Davauer said Draft Co. is coordinating with distributors to stock up on beer and trying to bring employees in earlier than normal. The business will also be able to vend beer on the plaza near the start of the parade route.For the Browns, however, Friday is about finally witnessing the celebration they have waited decades to see.Sue Brown recalled Brewers legend Robin Yount saying the team might not realize how many people it had made happy.They did for sure, she said.Michael Brown agreed.We are the world champions, he said. What a thing to say! That's just awesome.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip ...read more read less