As the lighted floats, giant character balloons and marching bands of Denver’s annual 9News Parade of Lights crawl through the city this weekend, travelers can expect delays and detours on public transit.

The Parade of Lights, which begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, will shut down or reroute Regional Transportation District light rail and bus routes in downtown Denver between 3 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., RTD officials said in a news release.

The 2-mile route begins at the Denver City & County Building, 14th Street and Bannock Street and continues through Tremont to 17th Street, where it heads northwest for several blocks before turning onto Arapahoe, organizers said. Then we head back to Glenarm on 15th Street.

RTD officials said bus routes will return to normal once the crowds clear after the parade. However, travelers should expect delays and diversions on lines 0, 1, 6, 8, 9, 10, 15, 15L, 16, 19, 20, 28. 38, 43, 44, 48 and 52.

The Free MallRide will close once crowds arrive for the parade and will resume around 9:30 p.m., according to the release.

Organizers said they expect about 300,000 people to show up for the parade marking its 50th anniversary.

RTD’s D Line, which runs from the Littleton-Mineral station to the 18th & California station, will eliminate the last two stops on its route starting Saturday at 3 p.m., RTD officials said. The line will suspend service at the Theater District-Convention Center station until traffic subsides around 9:30 p.m

The H Line, which runs from the Florida station in Aurora to the 18th & California station, will also cease service at the Theater District-Convention Center station beginning Saturday at 3 p.m., RTD officials said.

RTD officials said the last two stations on both lines — 16th & California and 18th & California — will reopen once the crowds clear.