HOUSTON – Beer cans, plastic bottles, and boxes of garbage are all that’s left but memories of the Astros World Series championship parade.
The route is still lined with debris on Smith Street, particularly through Midtown.
“You have to do your part and pick up your own trash,” Astros fan Miracle Semien said. “It’s not an all or nothing - I wish we can still celebrate and people can still do their part.”
A spokesperson for the Houston Mayor’s Office told KPRC 2 that Houston Public Works will have three street sweepers deployed and a contracted waste collection crew will be working to clean up all the debris.
It could take up to three days before the street is back to normal, he said.
KPRC 2 saw at least three crews cleaning up debris along the route on Monday night.
“I’m kind of disappointed that people didn’t pick up their trash! I mean, really y’all?,” Astros fan Taylor Moon said.
The city estimates the 2022 parade drew more spectators than the Astros’ 2017 victory lap, also drawing a big mess left behind for cleanup crews.
“They should have planned a little more because of this whole parade,” said Jajala Narra, a visitor from Indiana. “They should have put some trash and recycle cans here and there.”
Fans said they enjoyed the big spectacle and it was all worth it, but the clutter left behind wasn’t a sight worth celebrating.
“Any kind of celebratory event that’s on that scale, we’re going to have problems … in some sense, it feels inevitable,” Astros fan Matteo Roberts said.