CLEVELAND (AP) — Always up for a party, Cleveland's about to rock like never before.

For more than 50 years, fans agonized while waiting for one their three major professional teams to win a championship, a drought that defined the city and its people. All the parades, the trophy presentations, the visits to the White House happened for other teams, in other places.

Cleveland was always left out. Those days are done.

And on Tuesday night, Cleveland will be center stage for the sports universe with a celebration that once seemed inconceivable.

The spotlight has never been so warm or welcoming.

LeBron James and the Cavaliers got Cleveland's first championship since 1964 by beating Golden State with a historic comeback in the NBA Finals in June. The Cavs will receive their rings and raise a banner at Quicken Loans Arena before their season opener Tuesday night against the New York Knicks, and the emotional ceremony will be but a first act.

Thirty minutes later next door at Progressive Field, the Indians will host the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the World Series.

It's an almost unimaginable doubleheader on Ontario Street. Two Cleveland teams at the top of their games — a dream beyond dreams for fans.

"There won't be any place better in the sports world than Cleveland, and a lot of people in Cleveland have been waiting a long time to hear those words," said Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis. "It will be the No. 1 place to be in sports. What a special day."

Even fans without tickets for either event are expected to flood downtown because of a concert across from the Q by rapper Wiz Khalifa.

Plus, there will be dessert. Blue Bunny Ice Cream delivered after James said last week that the night could be made better by ice cream trucks in the streets — a sweet treat on a sweet night.

For so long, championships remained just out of reach as the Cavs, Indians and Browns took turns breaking Cleveland's heart in the postseason.

But with their unexpected comeback to unseat the champion Warriors, the Cavs put Cleveland on top — and the city is enjoying the view.

Nearly one million people showed up for the Cavs' parade, pouring off the sidewalks on to the streets to show their affection for James and his teammates, who will always have the distinction of being drought busters. But the Cavs' victory did more, releasing a sense of civic pride that was on display while Cleveland hosted the Republic National Convention and right through the summer as the Indians began their run toward an AL pennant.

The potential conflict between the ceremony and Game 1 of the Series first appeared in August when Major League Baseball released its postseason schedule. Back then, the possibility was met with the usual skepticism from locals, who muttered it was only a matter of time before the Indians buckled. Well, not only did they not collapse, they ran away with the AL Central and have gone 7-1 in the postseason.

Now, it feels like the celebration was meant to be.

Until last week, there was a conundrum for Cleveland fans torn over being able to enjoy both events because they were starting simultaneously. But the NBA pushed the Cavs' ceremony up 30 minutes, allowing fans extra time to recover from one big moment and get ready for the next.

For many Clevelanders, that will require putting away their tissues before grabbing their Indians rally towel.

The images of the Cavs closing out Game 7 remain vivid to Cavs coach Tyronn Lue, who broke down in the mayhem after the horn sounded at Oracle Arena. Four months later, he's still touched by the video highlights of Kyrie Irving's 3-pointer, James' chase-down block on Andre Iguodala and Kevin Love pestering Warriors star Stephen Curry into a miss.

"I'm probably going to cry again," Lue said. "Every time I see, even during preseason, every time I see those last plays, guys celebrating and crying, it just sends chills through my body. I'm pretty sure that on opening night it's going to be even more than that. It's going to be an emotional night, I know that and I'm going to enjoy it also. It's going to be one of those nights. It's a great night. Who wouldn't want to be in that position as an NBA player or NBA coach?

"It's going to be a great night for us."

And for all of Cleveland.