Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Democratic National Convention
When is the Convention? When do we expect Convention attendees to arrive and leave?
• The Democratic National Convention (DNC) begins Monday, July 25th,
and ends Thursday evening, July 28th. Attendees will arrive as soon as
Friday, July 22nd, and leave by Friday, July 29th.
Where does the Convention take place?
• The Convention takes place at the Wells Fargo Center in the evening
hours, typically from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. There will be smaller caucus and
council meetings during work hours at the Pennsylvania Convention
Center as well.
How many people are coming to Philadelphia for the Convention?
• The City expects approximately 50,000 Convention participants between
delegates, media, and other attendees.
Are there any changes to trash and recycling service during the DNC? Are
there any changes to municipal services, such as; court hours, jury duty, and city employee work schedules?
• At this time, all city services are expected to operate as scheduled. If that
changes, the information will be available on the City’s DNC home page:
www.phila.gov/democraticnationalconvention.
Will police and fire services be affected in my neighborhood due to re-
assignment of first-responders?
• Philadelphia Police, Philadelphia Fire and EMS services will not be
impacted by the DNC.
Will highways or streets be closed during the DNC?
• At this time, we do not anticipate extended road or highway closures in
Center City and other areas outside of the Stadium District. There may be
rolling closures due to dignitary movements or protests.
• Before you leave the house, we encourage you to check
@PhiladelphiaGov for any traffic news.
• There will be traffic restrictions around the sports complex, and we
expect United States Secret Service to announce those by early July at
the absolute latest. When they are announced, you can find the
information here: www.phila.gov/democraticnationalconvention.
How can the public be aware if large demonstrations are going to affect
them?
• Planned permitted demonstrations that impact traffic or require road
closures will be included on the City website road closure page, and
updates provided via social media. For more information visit:
www.phila.gov/democraticnationalconvention and follow
@PhiladelphiaGov.
• Demonstrations that deviate from the planned route or do not attain a
permit will be updated via social media. Follow @PhillyPolice and @PhiladelphiaGov
Will any SEPTA routes change during the DNC?
• Additional service along the Broad Street Line (BSL) will be added during
the convention. Travelers should expect crowds on public transit similar
to sporting events when Convention programming begins and ends.
While the Convention has not yet released their full schedule, historically
sessions have begun at 5 p.m. and concluded at 11 p.m.
• Transit riders can sign up for SEPTA alerts regarding system delays and
service disruptions through the City’s mass notification system,
ReadyPhiladelphia: http://www.phila.gov/ready.
• SEPTA also offers information through their website and social media:
http://www.septa.org/realtime/status/system-status.shtml and
http://www.septa.org/alert/twitter.html
Will there be special parking or towing restrictions?
• There will be some parking or towing restrictions, though we do not
expect it to be nearly as extensive as last year’s Papal Visit. Before the
weekend of July 23, and throughout the week of the DNC, please be sure
to check the street signs near where you normally park each day to
ensure there are no temporary parking restrictions.
Will the City allow camping?
• Because of the resources needed to manage the Convention, no permits
will be issued for camping.
Will it be difficult to go out during the Convention? Will restaurants have
available seating?
• Because the Convention historically takes place from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
each evening, Center City and other area dining destinations should have
open tables, especially during dinner hours, should you want to take
advantage of them.
Can I get into the Wells Fargo Center if I am not a credentialed media member
or delegate? Can anyone attend the convention?
• Only those who are credentialed have access inside the Wells Fargo
Center, which include media, delegates, politicians, and volunteers.
However, the smaller councils and caucus meetings which take place
during the day at the Pennsylvania Convention Center are open to the
public.
How can I participate in the DNC?
• There are a number of fun Convention-related events happening around
town for the public, even if you’re not interested in politics. For more
information and a list of events, go to www.phldnc.com.
What if I have questions that aren’t answered here?
• We encourage you to first go to
www.phila.gov/democraticnationalconvention. If your questions aren’t
answered there, you can always call 3-1-1 for non-emergencies. The week
of the Convention, 311 will have extended hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Kicker Cody Parkey successfully proposed to his girlfriend, Colleen Rick, this past weekend. I like how people have photographers on hand now to capture the event.
