DNC 2024: How to Watch the Democratic National Convention, Schedule & What to Expect

The Democratic National Convention will begin on Monday, August 19, and conclude on Thursday, August 22. The event will take place in Chicago, Illinois, at the McCormick Place and United Center and will feature delegates from all 50 states converging to celebrate and amplify the message of the party’s platform and candidates in the 2024 general election.

Who will speak at the 2024 Democratic National Convention?

After the convention features the delegates formally voting for the party’s platform and presidential ticket, current President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, will deliver a speech on night one. The evening is themed “For the People,” hosted by Scandal‘s POTUS Tony Goldwyn, and also features remarks from first lady Dr. Jill Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was the party’s first female nominee in 2016, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.

On the second day of the convention, which is themed “A Bold Vision for America’s Future” and hosted by Ana Navarro, former President Barack Obama is expected to take the stage, along with second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. The lineup also includes Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Senator Bernie Sanders, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, and former Trump administration staffer Stephanie Grisham.

Vice presidential hopeful Tim Walz will follow suit on day three, themed “A Fight for Our Freedoms” and hosted by Mindy Kaling, with additional speeches from former President Bill Clinton, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Former Trump administration official-turned-critic Olivia Troye is also going to speak on behalf of Republicans for Harris.

The event will conclude on night four, themed “For Our Future” and hosted by Kerry Washington, with Vice President Kamala Harris, the DNC’s nominee, delivering an acceptance speech of the party’s nomination. Also speaking Thursday are former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, California Representative Ted Lieu, and Senator Tammy Baldwin.

Other speakers expected to take the stage throughout the week include Jason Carter, Jimmy Carter’s grandson and Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Who is performing at the DNC?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, James Taylor, Mickey Guyton, and Jason Isbell are slated to perform during the kick-off for the four-day convention. The outlet also reports that Taylor will be the night’s final performer. It’s unclear which songs will be performed, but stay tuned to catch the performances for yourself.

What other events will take place at the DNC?

There are dozens of individual and third-party events taking place in conjunction with the convention, including a Julia Louis-Dreyfus-hosted panel. Plus, there will be events featuring the stars of The Daily Show and RuPaul’s Drag Race, as well as musical performances from John Legend, Jimmy Eat World, D.J. Shawna, Lil Jon, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Drive-By Truckers, and SistaStrings. Other celebrities expected to attend include Dana Gurira, Iain Armitage, Uma Thurman, Uzo Aduba, and more.

How do I watch the 2024 DNC live?

The DNC will feature live-stream videos on its YouTube channel, and several networks will present special coverage of the convention throughout the week. 

ABC: The network will feature an hour of nightly coverage — titled The Democratic National Convention — Your Voice/Your Vote 2024 and anchored by David Muir — at 10/9c on each night of the convention. ABC News Live will host coverage from 7/6c to midnight each day, anchored by Linsey Davis, and Hulu will feature running live reports each day as well. Find more details here.

CBS: The network will feature an hour of nightly coverage — titled CBS News 2024: America Decides: Democratic Convention — at 10/9c on each night of the convention.

C-SPAN: The network will feature continuous coverage — titled Campaign 2024 — beginning with a preview at 5:30/4:30c on Monday and 6/5c on Tuesday through Thursday. 

CNN: The network will feature nightly coverage throughout its normal news hours and feature special coverage each night at 8/7c. 

Fox News: The network will begin its coverage of the convention on Sunday, August 19 and conclude on Friday, August 23. It’ll also feature nightly hour-long coverage — titled FOX News Democracy 2024: The Democratic National Convention — coanchored by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.

MSNBC: The network will begin its coverage of the contention on Sunday, August 19 at 6/5 with Ari Melber kicking off a special cohosted by Joy Reid, who’ll be on location in Chicago, and followed by coverage anchored by Rachel Maddow and Jen Psaki. Throughout the week, Morning Joe‘s hosts will provide coverage in the morning, with the afternoon shows hosted by Andrea Mitchell and Chris Jansing following suit during their regular hours. On Wednesday, August 21, the network will air MSNBC Live: Access for All as live coverage of the convention. MSNBC’s YouTube page will stream the DNC all four days, and the network’s website and app will feature additional coverage..

NBC: The network will feature an hour of nightly coverage — titled Decision 2024: Democratic National Convention — at 10/9c on Monday and Tuesday and two hours of coverage starting 9/8c on Wednesday and Thursday.

NewsNation: The network will feature convention coverage beginning Sunday, August 18 with a special edition of The Hill Sunday. Then, four hours of nightly coverage — titled Decision Desk 2024: The Democratic National Convention — will commence on Monday, August 19 through Friday, August 22, with Chris Cuomo, Elizabeth Vargas, and Leland Vittert co-anchoring.

Noticias Telemundo: The network will feature daily convention coverage from Monday through Friday, with special editions of the newscast anchored by Juli Vaquiero. Damià Bonmatí will anchor coverage on the streaming channel Noticias Telemundo Ahora (which is available on Peacock and the network’s digital platforms).

PBS: The network will air three hours of nightly coverage — titled PBS News Special: Democratic National Convention — starting at 8/7c, with Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett anchoring.