Editor’s Note: NBC Chicago offers a live feed of the evening and primetime speeches every Monday through Thursday in the player above and on the 24/7 streaming channel NBC 5 Chicago News.
The 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago ends on Thursday, when the fourth and final day of the convention culminates in Vice President Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech.
But that is by no means all that is expected from the grand finale of the party conference.
As with every night of the convention, big performances and celebrity appearances are expected, and speculation is rife as to who might be in attendance. Sources have already confirmed that Pink will perform on Thursday night and that The Chicks, formerly known as the Dixie Chicks, will also be on stage.
The fourth day of the convention follows Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s acceptance speech on Wednesday, which brought many visitors to the United Center to their feet.
That evening, Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey spoke from the stage and Maren Morris, Stevie Wonder and John Legend performed.
Here’s a look at the schedule and full program of events for Thursday:
What time does the DNC start?
The “main program” is scheduled to begin again at 5:30 p.m., but several events are planned throughout the day. The event is scheduled to end shortly after 10 p.m.
To avoid repeated delays in the program, the convention has moved its start times forward throughout the week, although delays have occurred every night of the convention to date.
The celebrations on Wednesday evening ended shortly before 11 p.m.
Schedule and speakers for Day 4 of the DNC
The full speaker list and schedule for Day 4 have not yet been released, but Harris’ acceptance speech will be the highlight of the evening.
Thursday’s speaker list includes North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Reverend Al Sharpton and former Illinois Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, as well as Rep. Marcia Fudge, several senators, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Gabby Giffords and others.
According to the organizers, the theme for Thursday is “For our future.”
Harris will take the stage as the final speaker on Thursday, and is widely expected to present her vision and policy agenda to the American people.
“You’ve also seen the vice president start laying out her vision for how she wants to move the country forward. That’s why she went to North Carolina last week to lay out some of the first items on her economic agenda, which is focused on lowering costs for the American people, right?” Michael Tyler, communications director for the Harris-Walz campaign, said Wednesday. “How can we lower the cost of food? Take on the meatpackers. How can we lower the cost of housing for people? First, by building more housing, but also by helping first-time buyers and renters. How can we actually get a tax bill that’s fair for the middle class? The vice president wants to give the middle class a tax break.”
DNC Executive Director Alex Hornbrook said Harris plans to “tell her story directly to the country.”
How to follow the DNC
All Democratic National Convention plenary sessions will be streamed live on NBC Chicago’s website and mobile app, as well as in the player above.
The speeches will also be available on the NBC 5 Chicago News 24/7 streaming channel.
Viewers can also look forward to expanded coverage on Telemundo Chicago and the Telemundo Chicago app.
Streaming times (all times Central):
Thursday: 17:30-22:00
What are the main topics of the conference?
The convention’s theme is “For the People, For Our Future” and the focus will be on moving the country forward and building on the work of the Biden administration.
On Thursday’s theme, “Fighting for Our Future,” Hornbrook said the goal of the convention was to “use the last night at the United Center to show the American people how committed Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are to fighting for a better future for all.”
“The final night of our convention will present our vision for the future and make clear that Americans are ready to fight and win with Harris-Walz,” he said.
The daily topics are:
Monday – “For the people”
Tuesday – “A bold vision for America’s future”
Wednesday – “A fight for our freedoms”
Thursday – “For our future”
