What time does the DNC start tonight? Full schedule, where to watch – NBC Chicago

Editor’s note: NBC Chicago will offer a live feed of evening and primetime speeches each day Monday-Thursday in the player above and on the NBC 5 Chicago News 24/7 streaming channel

The 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago officially starts Monday, with a series of events leading up to the big speeches.

So what time does the convention start and how can you watch it?

Here’s a look at the timing and full schedule of events:

What time does the DNC start?

The 2024 DNC in Chicago begins Monday, Aug. 19. It continues through Thursday, Aug. 22, with speeches expected for four consecutive nights.

While many events will take place throughout each day, the “main programming” is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, and at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

See a full day-by-day schedule below.

Schedule, speakers for the DNC

While the full list of speakers has not yet been released, some of the Democratic Party’s biggest stars will be on-hand, including President Joe Biden, who will address the convention on Monday.

Monday will also see speeches by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and First Lady Jill Biden.

Keynote speeches Monday are expected to begin at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

MORE: DNC Speakers tracker: Kinzinger, Michelle Obama added to lineup

NBC News reported Vice President Kamala Harris will be in attendance Monday. President Biden and Vice President Harris are expected to appear on stage together after Biden’s speech concludes.

Following their addresses Monday, the Bidens will depart Chicago, NBC News confirmed.

The theme for Monday, according to organizers, is “For The People.”

Former Presidents Barack Obama (Tuesday) and Bill Clinton (Wednesday) will also speak, as will former first lady Michelle Obama (Tuesday) and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (Tuesday), among others.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was chosen as the vice-presidential nominee on the ticket, will speak to the convention on Wednesday, while Harris will officially accept the party’s presidential nomination on Thursday.

How to watch the DNC

All four floor sessions of the Democratic National Convention will be livestreamed on NBC Chicago’s website and mobile app, and in the player above.

The speeches will also be available on the NBC 5 Chicago News 24/7 Streaming Channel.

Viewers can also expect expanded coverage via Telemundo Chicago and the Telemundo Chicago app.

Streaming times (all times Central):

Monday: 5:15 p.m.-10 p.m.  

Tuesday: 5:30-10 p.m.

Wednesday: 5:30-10 p.m.

Thursday: 5:30-10 p.m.

Day-by-day schedule of events:

MONDAY

7:00AM – 9:30AM CDT

9:00AM – 10:00AM CDT

9:00AM – 5:00PM CDT

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

• Native American Caucus Meeting

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

9:00AM – 5:00PM CDT

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

• Small Business Council Meeting

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Democratic Local Elected Officials (DLEO) Council Meeting

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Digital Organizing, Misinformation, and Disinformation

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Shirley Chisolm Predicted This Political Moment. Now is the time to unite.

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Project 2025: Organizing Your Friends and Family

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Narratives That Build Power: Teaching AANHPI How to Reach Their Communities By Narrative Storytelling

1:45PM – 3:15PM CDT

• Environmental & Climate Crisis Council Meeting

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Go Dox Yourself: Protecting your online privacy to enable you to show up as your best self

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Voices for Justice: Democrats for Palestinian Human Rights

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• We Can’t Win Without Rural: Understanding and Overcoming the Rural Urban Divide to Win in 2024

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• The Future of Immigration Reform

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Protecting the Vote 2024: Effective Strategies to Make Sure Every Vote Counts

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• We Show Up: The Power of Equality Voters with HRC, LGBTQ+ advocates, community leaders, and Political Experts

4:00PM – 4:00PM CDT

5:15PM – 5:30PM CDT

5:30PM – 10:00PM CDT

10:00PM – 10:15PM CDT

TUESDAY

7:00AM – 9:30AM CDT

9:00AM – 10:00AM CDT

9:00AM – 5:00PM CDT

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

• Disability Caucus Meeting

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Harris for President Messaging Guidance 101

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• The Theory of Election Campaigns -and Understanding the Self Interests of Voters

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Tips for Recruiting Volunteers — and the Art of the One-On-One Interview

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• All In: The Black Voters Saving Democracy Forum Powered by the NAACP

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Care Can’t Wait: Our Economy Runs on Care

1:45PM – 3:15PM CDT

• Veterans & Military Families Council Meeting

1:45PM – 3:15PM CDT

1:45PM – 3:15PM CDT

• Interfaith Council Meeting

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• What’s at Stake for Reproductive Freedom Messaging Training

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• We Rent, We Vote: Solutions to America’s Housing Crisis with Rep. Maxine Waters and CPD Action

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Tools for the Party: 2024 DNC Tech Infrastructure

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Fighting censorship and building the best schools for our kids

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Phone Bank/Text Operations, Phone Platforms and Compliance

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Tips for First Time Candidates

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Using Social Media in Election Campaigns

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• From Apathy to Action: Mobilizing the Youth Vote

4:00PM – 4:00PM CDT

6:00PM – 6:15PM CDT

6:00PM – 10:00PM CDT

10:00PM – 10:15PM CDT

WEDNESDAY

7:00AM – 9:30AM CDT

9:00AM – 10:00AM CDT

9:00AM – 5:00PM CDT

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

• Native American Caucus Meeting

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

10:00AM – 11:00AM CDT

• The American Jewish Community and Israel After October 7

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

• Small Business Council Meeting

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Climate Power, EDF Action, NDRC Action Fund, LCV, and Global Strategy Group Present the Latest on Climate

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Everything You Need to Know About Trump’s Project 2025 Agenda

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Youth Organizing Training

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Winning the Narrative on Safety, Accountability, and Justice

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Spotting and Preventing Infiltration

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Great Campaign Direct Mail

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• The Principles of Political Communication

1:45PM – 3:15PM CDT

• Environmental & Climate Crisis Council Meeting

1:45PM – 3:15PM CDT

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• AI & Deepfakes in the 2024 Election

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Building Winning Coalitions

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Messaging to Young Voters

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Using Artificial Intelligence Programs in Progressive Politics

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Developing Strategic Issue Campaigns

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Latinos: The X Factor in 2024

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Student Debt Relief: Celebrating Wins and Fighting Onwards

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Boomers for Harris-Walz Rock ‘n Doo-Wop Party

4:00PM – 4:00PM CDT

6:00PM – 6:15PM CDT

6:00PM – 10:00PM CDT

10:00PM – 10:15PM CDT

THURSDAY

7:00AM – 9:30AM CDT

9:00AM – 10:00AM CDT

9:00AM – 5:00PM CDT

9:30AM – 11:30AM CDT

11:30AM – 12:30PM CDT

• Jewish Values and Domestic Policy: What’s at Stake

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

• Disability Caucus Meeting

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

12:00PM – 1:30PM CDT

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Mitigating AI-Driven Misinformation Risks for Women in Politics

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Campaigning With Joy Online: Digital Organizing for Vice President Kamala Harris

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Public Speaking Principles in Practice

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Campaign Field Operations and GOTV/Voter Protection Getting an ID

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Opinion Research: Polling, Focus Groups, A/B Testing

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Mapping Technologies for Elections and Issue Campaigns

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• The Unseen Black Men-How to Reach Them

1:00PM – 2:45PM CDT

• Towards a Safer Future: Approaches to Gun Violence Prevention

1:45PM – 3:15PM CDT

• Veterans & Military Families Council Meeting

1:45PM – 3:15PM CDT

1:45PM – 3:15PM CDT

• Interfaith Council Meeting

3:00PM – 4:45PM CDT

• Crisis in the Court: It’s Time for Reforms To Restore Legitimacy and to Protect Our Constitution

4:00PM – 4:00PM CDT

6:00PM – 6:15PM CDT

6:00PM – 10:00PM CDT

10:00PM – 10:15PM CDT

What are the daily themes for the convention?

The theme for the convention will be “For the People, For Our Future,” and will focus on moving the country forward and building upon the work of the Biden Administration.

The daily themes are:

Monday – “For the People”

Tuesday – “A Bold Vision for America’s Future”

Wednesday – “A Fight for Our Freedoms”

Thursday – “For Our Future”

According to convention organizers, the theme for Monday’s events is a callback to the theme of Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign, and a phrase she’s been incorporating into her new one, starting with a fundraising email the very night Biden departed the race.

The phraseology hearkens to her 2019 launch, at which Harris — a longtime prosecutor and California’s first woman to serve as attorney general — recalled introducing herself in court as “Kamala Harris, for the people,” adding, “In my whole life I’ve only had one client, the people.’’ Throughout that campaign, Harris returned to the phrase time and again, in speeches but also on signs and T-shirts, and as part of her principal campaign committee’s official nomenclature.

But much of the night’s focus will also be on Biden’s policy wins while in office, when he signed a flurry of legislation that Democrats have dreamed about enacting for a generation.