Chicago DNC 2024: What to know about Democratic convention, from road closures to speakers
Convention to be held from Aug. 19-22 at United Center, McCormick Place
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Democratic National Convention is taking place next week in Chicago, just weeks after the Republican National Convention was held in Milwaukee.
Chicago beat out New York and Atlanta to host the DNC. It will have a major impact on the city.
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When and where is the DNC?
The DNC will be held at the United Center and at McCormick Place next Monday through Thursday.
Official proceedings, primetime programming and speeches will be held at the United Center -- home to the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls. Other party activities will be held at the McCormick Place Convention Center.
Who are the DNC speakers and hosts
DNC Committee Executive Director Alex Hornbrook previewed who will speak on Tuesday at a press briefing.
Monday: President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. with son Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson, Former Secretary Hillary Clinton, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , UAW President Shawn Fein, Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, Pennsylvania's Lt. Governor Austin Davis and more
Tuesday: Former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Gov. JB Pritzker New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, IL Sen. Tammy Duckworth, -Mayor of Mesa, Arizona John Giles and Former Trump Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham
Wednesday: Vice Presidential Nominee Gov. Tim Walz, Sen. Cory Booker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Former Trump staffer Olivia Troye
Thursday: Vice President Kamala Harris
Convention officials also confirmed the following speakers, but did not say when they would make an appearance:
-Former President Bill Clinton
-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
-House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries
-California Rep. Robert Garcia
-Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood
Actors Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Mindy Kaling and commentator Ana Navarro will serve as hosts at the Democratic National Convention this week, convention officials confirmed to ABC News.
Each will host one night of the four-day convention starting the programing with opening remarks and then reappearing onstage throughout the night.
Goldwyn will host Monday night, Navarro on Tuesday, and Kaling on Wednesday.
Washington will host on Thursday, the night Harris formally accepts the nomination.
How to get to the DNC at the United Center and McCormick Place
Metra will offer shuttle trains during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
The shuttles will run from the O'Hare Transfer Station to Union Station every hour.
Metra said it will take about 35 minutes to get conventioneers from O'Hare to Union Station.
The service will run through Aug. 30. It will be available on weekends.
The O'Hare Transfer Station is located near the airport's multimodal rental car facility.
A one-way ticket will cost $3.75. Tickets can be purchased via the Ventra app before boarding.
Street closures, parking restrictions
United Center and McCormick Place Tentative Security Perimeter Fencing Buildout began on Monday, Aug. 12 at 6 a.m.
- Residents can expect intermittent traffic impacts in the areas around both convention sites due to restricted parking, rolling street closures and possible full street closures as needed.
- No parking in curb lanes in all build areas along the security perimeter.
United Center parking restrictions
-Lake Street from Ashland to Damen, daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. south side of the street from Sunday, Aug. 18 to Thursday, Aug. 22
-Maypole Avenue from Hermitage to Damen avenues, daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., both sides of the street, from Sunday, Aug. 18 to Thursday, Aug. 22
-Jackson Boulevard from Wood Street to Western Avenue, continuous on both sides of the street from Saturday, Aug. 17 to Friday, Aug. 23.
-Washington Boulevard from Ashland Avenue to Paulina Street, continuous on both sides of the street, from Sunday, Aug. 18 to Friday, Aug. 23.
-Warren Boulevard from Ashland to Paulina, continuous on both sides of the street from Sunday, Aug. 18 to Friday, Aug. 23.
-Paulina from Washington to Lake streets, daily, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., both sides of the street from Sunday, Aug. 18 to Thursday, Aug. 22.
-Hermitage from Washington to Lake, daily, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., both sides of the street from Sunday, Aug. 18 to Thursday, Aug. 22.
-Wood from Washington to Lake, daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., both sides of the street from Sunday, Aug. 18 to Thursday, Aug. 22.
-Wolcott Avenue from Washington to Lake, daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., both sides of the street from Sunday, Aug. 18 to Thursday, Aug. 22.
United Center street closures begin on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m.
- West Washington Boulevard from Damen Avenue to South Wood Street
- Damen Avenue from Jackson Boulevard to West Washington Boulevard
- West Warren Boulevard from North Leavitt Street to South Paulina Street
- West Madison Street from North Leavitt Street to South Paulina Street
- West Monroe Street from South Seeley Avenue to South Paulina Street
- West Adams Street from South Seeley Avenue to South Paulina Street
- South Horner Street from West Monroe Street to West Adams Street
- South Wood Street from West Washington Boulevard to West Jackson Boulevard
- South Seeley Avenue from West Madison Street to West Adams Street
Restricted vehicle traffic: Jackson Boulevard from South Damen Avenue to South Wood Street
Streets closed to local traffic only on Thursday, Aug. 15. This includes Lake to Jackson and Western to Ashland and Ogden Avenue, with hard closures between Hoyne Avenue to Paulina and Lake to Adams Street.
McCormick Place street closures begin on Friday, Aug. 16 at 10 p.m.
- Indiana Avenue from 18th Street to East 24th Place
- Michigan Avenue from 21st to 25th streets
- Cermak Road from Wabash Avenue to MLK Drive
- 23rd Street from Wabash Avenue to Indiana Avenue
- Prairie Avenue from Cullerton Street to 24th Place
- 24th Street from Wabash Avenue to Indiana Avenue
- Calumet Avenue from Cullerton Street to 24th Place
- 24th Place from Wabash Avenue to MLK Drive
- MLK Drive from Cermak Road to 25th Street
- East 21st Street closed from, and inclusive of, South Michigan Avenue to South Calumet Avenue.
- East 21st Street is open from west of South Michigan Avenue to inclusive of South Wabash Avenue and East 21st.
No trucks or anything larger than passenger cars permitted on Interstate 55 / Stevenson Expressway between DuSable Lake Shore Drive and South State Street in both directions.
McCormick Place parking restrictions:
-18th Street from Michigan Avenue to Prairie Avenue daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., currently in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-Cullerton Street from Michigan Avenue to Calumet Avenue daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., currently in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-21st Street from Michigan Avenue to Calumet Avenue daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., currently in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-Cermak Road from Michigan to Calumet, continuous and in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-23rd Street from Wabash to Indiana avenues, continuous and in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-24th Street from Wabash Avenue to Indiana Avenue, continuous and in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-24th Place from Wabash Avenue to Indiana Avenue, continuous and in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-Calumet from 18th to 200 feet south of 18th, daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-MLK Drive from 22nd Street to 25th Street, continuous and in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-Prairie Avenue from 20th Street to 22nd Street, continuous and in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-Indiana from 18th to 25th, continuous and in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-Michigan from 21st to 25th streets, continuous and in effect until Sunday, Aug. 25.
-The MLK Boulevard exit from I-55 northbound lanes (here eastbound), inclusive of the I-55 turnaround lane (northbound to southbound) will be closed except to vehicles specifically authorized by the Secret Service.
There will also be rolling street closures due to DNC activity.
Some sidewalks around the venues will be closed to pedestrian traffic for public safety. Be aware of any directional signage in the area.
Downtown street closures begin on Sunday, Aug. 18
Barricades have been set up near the Park Hyatt Hotel on Saturday.
Some streets will be closed in downtown near hotels where convention delegates and attendees will be staying, as well as for various parties and events, OEMC said.
Residents and visitors should expect heavy traffic and limited vehicular access to the following streets on the following days:
-N. Wabash from E, Chestnut to E Delaware Place from Sunday, August 18 through Wednesday, Aug. 21
-E. Huron Street from N. Michigan to N. Rush from Sunday, August 18 through Friday, Aug. 23
- E. Chicago from N. Michigan Avenue to N. Rush Street from Sunday, August 18 through Friday, Aug. 23
-E .Delaware Place from N. State to N. Rush on Tuesday, Aug. 20
-N. Rush from E. Delaware Place to E. Walton on Tuesday, Aug. 20
-E Walton from N State to N Rush on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
-N State from E Delaware to E Walton on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
Parking restrictions:
Normal parking operations will be maintained outside the security perimeter unless otherwise posted. Follow all parking rules and times listed on signs.
Pay attention to posted signage detailing parking restrictions. Vehicles that are not removed from the street by the designated date and time will be ticketed and towed.
For inquiries about towed vehicles, call 312-744-4444. Or click here.
Parking restrictions will be posted and updated as they are available.
Reroutes:
Around the United Center, there will be a detour to get around the closures beginning on Ashland Avenue to Harrison Street to Western to Grand Avenue to Ashland Avenue.
Be prepared for intermittent closures of streets in the area due to marches.
Visit chicago.gov for the latest information.
How can I watch the DNC?
The DNC will stream on multiple platforms -- including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. The official live stream of the 2024 Democratic National Convention will be available on its website.
Prime-time programming will air live from 6:30 p.m.-11 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m.-10 p.m. CT on Monday and 7 p.m.-11 p.m. ET/6 p.m.-10 p.m. CT on Tuesday-Thursday, according to the DNC.
ABC News will have special coverage of the DNC -- including primetime coverage from 10 p.m. until 11 p.m. ET on ABC every day of the conventions, and on ABC News Live from 7 p.m. until 12 a.m. ET.
Hulu will also have live reports available all day, and ABC News Live will have robust coverage each day of the convention.
WATCH: A brief history of political conventions in Chicago
Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said it was a tough decision to pick Chicago, but ultimately the city's labor connections and its immediate readiness to handle roughly 50,000 visitors, 20,000 members of the media and 5,500 delegates, alternates and other guests expected to come to the convention, helped it win the bid.
City leaders pledged to work with state and federal partners to ensure everyone coming to the convention can feel safe, and talked about how they will make sure it's not just downtown and areas near convention activities that will take part in what is expected to be a $150 million boost to the Chicago area.
Who is big winner from Chicago's selection to host DNC?
The last time the DNC was in Chicago was in 1996, and that convention managed to break even.
At the convention, Democrats will choose who will be at the top of the next presidential ticket.
The largest city in the Midwest has long been considered a bastion of the pro-labor movement that helped Brandon Johnson's progressive campaign for mayor.
LOOK BACK: 1968 Democratic National Convention 50 Years Later
Tourism industry leaders in the state are looking forward to the worldwide media contingent that converges on the city to cover the convention. They believe that will help send out positive images of Chicago, rather than the crime that has dominated much national media coverage in recent years.
Leaders say the hospitality industry has rebounded pretty well from the pandemic, and the convention will likely boost the city's image for years to come. And, as a bonus, the timing of the convention may be one of the best times of year to showcase the beautiful sites and features of Chicago.
READ MORE: Days of Rage: Timeline of the 1968 Democratic National Convention
ABC News contributed to this report.
