This week, dozens of private, VIP events are being held for top Harris campaign donors. Here's the schedule.

This week, dozens of private, VIP events are being held for top Harris campaign donors. Here's the schedule.
This week, dozens of private, VIP events are being held for top Harris campaign donors. Here's the schedule.
  • The Democratic National Convention will offer exclusive perks and VIP events to major Harris campaign donors.
  • The itinerary comprises of morning brunches, evening cocktail gatherings, and exclusive access to locations such as Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs' home stadium.
  • The possibility of celebrating the ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is a dream come true for high-dollar Democratic donors.

CNBC has obtained a schedule revealing that major donors to the Harris campaign will attend VIP events and receive exclusive perks at the Democratic National Convention this week. These perks include private brunches, evening cocktail parties, and a tour of Wrigley Field.

Top donors to the Harris Victory Fund can attend ritzy events during the convention, which are exclusive to the fund's highest contributors. These events are held in between the headliner speeches and are priced at around $900,000 per donor.

The VIP week commences with a welcome reception on Monday evening at Morgan's on Fulton, a large venue where donors will be transported from hotels such as The Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons.

Presidential nominating conventions have long included donor parties as a significant opportunity for campaigns to connect with individuals who contribute millions of dollars to support their efforts.

The Democratic VIP donor events in Chicago this week are more lively than ever before.

The eagerness to mingle this week is not only due to the pent-up energy but also because the last in-person nominating convention was held in 2016.

The decision of President Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race in July and the resulting domino effect that led to Chicago and Democrats celebrating a ticket this week of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is a political fairytale for high-dollar donors.

On Tuesday morning, they will gather for the first of several brunches this week at the Chicago History Museum. The event, known as the "Path to Victory Brunch and Briefing," promises to be a beautiful affair.

On Wednesday, an exclusive tour of Wrigley Field, the renowned home of the Chicago Cubs Major League baseball team, will be held. During the tour, donors can enjoy "batting practice, tours, concessions and more" from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. C.T., as per the schedule.

On Thursday night, before Harris' acceptance speech, donors will have a reception at The Exchange, a four-star historic restaurant.

This luxury treatment is a key component of a comprehensive donor cultivation strategy that has enabled Harris to secure unprecedented donations, ranging from substantial to modest.

In the weeks following Biden's endorsement of her, Harris had already surpassed Trump in fundraising.

In July, the Harris political operation received $310 million, with a significant portion of it coming after Biden dropped out on the 21st. This allowed them to begin August with $377 million in cash.

In July, the Trump team raised $138.7 million, which was less than half of the $266.3 million that Harris collected. Despite having surpassed Biden's fundraising in June, the Trump team had some reserves to help boost their total.

This month, Harris started with $377 million, $50 million more than the initial amount.

by Brian Schwartz

Politics