Negotiations ongoing to land Sidney Crosby for Natal Day parade
'It could draw an additional 25,000 people to the parade route,' says parade chair
The organizers of this year's Halifax-Dartmouth Natal Day parade say they are continuing their negotiations to land Sidney Crosby and the Stanley Cup.
"He's not confirmed yet and we hope to get an answer by this time next week," said Greg Hayward, chair of the parade. "We are OK to go but there are certain parts, like security, that need to be finalized."
Hayward said they want Crosby to be the parade marshal. The NHL superstar and Pittsburgh Penguins captain is coming off his third Stanley Cup win.
At a press conference Wednesday at his summer hockey camp in Cole Harbour, Crosby said he will have the cup in his possession for two days, Aug. 6 and 7.
Aug. 7 just happens to be the day of the Natal Day parade and Crosby's 30th birthday.
"It could draw an additional 25,000 people to the parade route," said Hayward. "If Sidney Crosby is going to be in our parade, they'll be there to cheer him on."
Hayward said the parade normally brings out 35,000 to 40,000 people. People from New Brunswick have already reached out to his group, he said, inquiring whether Crosby has been confirmed.
The previous two times the Cole Harbour superstar brought the Stanley Cup home to Nova Scotia there were huge parades through the streets of his community.
The parade in 2009 took place on Crosby's 22nd birthday.