Canes banners hung at the Old State Capitol, flags lined Fayetteville Street and fencing was being installed at City Plaza on Friday evening, where the largest celebration is set to take place after the parade.
Workers and Shop Local Raleigh staffers spent the evening setting up a stage and securing event areas as fans began pouring into the city.
Fans from across the country arrived in Raleigh on Friday, including visitors from Asheville, Richmond Hill, Georgia, and Jupiter, Florida.
Hotels across downtown quickly filled as fans secured rooms in anticipation of the event.
Dustin Kerrigan traveled up from Jupiter, Florida, and grabbed his hotel room right after the Stanley Cup win.
"Game 6 on Sunday night. I'm just waiting. I'm like, OK, as soon as this thing ends, I got to get the hotel. I got to figure out where we're going because I've made this promise to myself for 10 years," said Kerrigan.
Kent Brown said he and his daughter, Caroline, drove from near Savannah, Georgia, after she finished a 12-hour shift.
"She goes, 'We win the Cup, I'm going to the parade.' I say, what better way to spend Father's Day?" Brown said.
At City Plaza, the stage for post-parade events is already in place, with fencing stretching along Fayetteville Street back toward the Old State Capitol.
Fans who gathered said they are eager for the celebration to continue.
"We showed up at the airport to watch them come home, and that was amazing. We got to see the water spray that they do for the water cannon," said Tabitha Brown of Sanford.
Many described a shared sense of excitement across the city.
"Just to see the excitement around the team and the city and embracing everything that's going on. Incredible. Absolutely incredible. But, yeah, Vegas never had a chance," Steve Rosser of Sanford said.
While some downtown hotels are providing guests with parade details, common questions remain about logistics.
Organizers say the stage is set at City Plaza and encourage people to arrive as early as possible to secure a viewing spot.
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