MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee is getting ready to hold several big parties when the Democratic National Convention comes to town in July.
Fiserv Forum will be the focus of all the political activity during the four day convention but hundreds of other events will held in and around Milwaukee.
TODAY'S TMJ4 has learned the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee will announce in January the venues for the three big parties outside of Fiserv Forum.
"We are in charge of hosting the media welcome reception, the delegate welcome reception and the volunteer thank you events. All three of those are multiple thousands of people," said Liz Gilbert, President of the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee.
The host committee is the non profit, civic entity that is in charge of hosting and funding the convention.
15,000 volunteers are needed for the convention that runs from July 13-16. The volunteer party will be Friday after the convention on July 17th.
Thousands have already signed up. More details about the next step for volunteers will be coming out in a few weeks. Volunteers will be asked what days they are available and where they want to help out.
"We want to make sure we are molding this volunteer experience to work for everyone. So are you available Saturday thru Friday," said Gilbert, "or are you only available Wednesday, indoors or outdoors?
Local vendors and venues are getting ready for all the activities around the 2020 DNC in MKE.
If you have a possible venue, you can go here to requestto hold any of the 2000 parties and events expected between now and the end of the convention.
A majority of the activities will be in Milwaukee but Lambeau Field in Green Bay is on the list of 400 possible venues and vendors.
"We have asked for any type of venue throughout the entire region to sign up if you're interested in doing something because we are going to have 50,000 guests here in the summer," said Gilbert.
On the fundraising side, money is coming in to help the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee pay for events for the Democratic National Convention.
The host committee needs $70 million to produce and present the many events for all the delegates and visitors. The goal was to raise $20 million by the end of 2019. Gilbert says they exceeded their goal with the help of local businesses and organizations.
"Local companies are so excited to support this effort because they believe in our mission, and so when you are doing mission oriented fundraising, it's really a remarkable thing and we've hand incredible local support."
Our news partners at the Milwaukee Business Journal report the total was $25 million, contributors include the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino and Northwestern Mutual.