tour buses in atlanta

More often than not, when clients compare a Star Coaches proposal to our competitor's proposals, our proposal will "appear" to be more expensive.

Why? Because it is thorough...

It's NOT designed to be "pretty"...   it's designed to be accurate.   Actually, it is designed for you to end your tour BELOW the projected budget.

Don takes the time to prepare every single proposal for every single tour himself.

He suggests stop point cities on longer drives to keep a driver safe and legal.

While this level of thoroughness takes more time, it has been invaluable, especially for foreign clients that are not familiar with the geographical layout of the United States.

See for yourself what many consider to be the best, and most informative proposal in the industry, and then get ready to enjoy "coming in below budget" at the end of your tour.

REQUEST A PROPOSAL

EXCLUSIVE: 2023 TOUR COST ESTIMATOR

In LESS than 5 minutes, find out how much an entertainer coach will cost for your next tour!

We are pleased to offer you the new 2023 Star Coaches Online Tour Cost Estimator!

Only Star Coaches offers such an online experience!

Only Star Coaches offers complete transparency!

Only Star Coaches offers you this budgeting advantage!

During the development and creation of this website, we consulted over a dozen Tour Managers about this concept...

Their reactions were all the same:  "Wow!!"...  "Amazing!!"...  "Unbelievable!!"...  "Oh My Gosh!!"

They were blown away!

Only Star Coaches offers such an online experience:  The Tour Cost Estimator!

Now YOU can enter variables into a form and calculate approximately how much it will cost to lease various entertainer coaches for your next tour.

Here is what you'll need to get started:

a)  your tour itinerary with mileage...

b)  your pick up city...

c)  your drop city...

d)  approximately how many overdrives will take place

Now YOU can see how much bus your budget will allow...  Experiment with different logistical scenarios...

This online feature will give you a very good idea of the estimated cost you will incur on your next tour...

TOUR COST ESTIMATOR

EXTERIOR BUS WRAPS

TRAILER WEIGHT LIMITS…

Most of the time, this is not a problem, as most bands are staying within our 10,000 pound limit for GVWT (Gross Vehicle Weight, or a loaded trailer)...

By the way, for you Production Managers, our trailers weight about 4,500 pounds empty, leaving you about 5,500 pounds for the gear / merch...

Anyhow, a more frequent occurrence is that we find ourselves receiving a frantic call from our drivers at pick up stating that "this trailer is very heavy"...

So we instruct the driver to immediately weigh the full trailer, only to find that the GVWT is over 10,000 pounds... This becomes a new problem...

To battle this potential problem, we suggest making sure your packed load is less than 5,500 pounds, and if you must exceed that limit, act BEFORE the tour pick up...

Rent a box truck and a driver...

Star Coaches now has a small team of box truck drivers that can help solve the problem of a disaster at pick up...

If you can't get the gear to 5,500 pounds, let us know, and we will gladly assign one of our auxiliary drivers to your rented box truck from Hertz, Budget or UHaul...

Don't be THAT guy who is overweight at pick up...

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92 Peachtree Pl NE

Atlanta, GA 30309

Serving Atlanta Area

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About the business.

The award-winning and nationally recognized Funny Bus is rolling into Atlanta and will bring its unique blend of laughter and learning for us all to enjoy. We feature local comedians who showcase the highlights of our beloved city and the surrounding area. Guests can also bring their own beer and wine. Whether visiting or a local, this 90-minute bus tour will have you exploring the city and surrounding neighborhoods, laughing, and relaxing. Laugh and learn with us on your next date night, girl's night out, or kick-start a fun night on the town. Funny Bus Comedy City Tours started in Charlotte, North Carolina, and has provided fun and excitement to guests of all ages since 2015. Reserve your seat now! …

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Where is the location to meet for the tour?

Hi Loreli! The pickup point is right in Midtown behind the Margaret Mitchell house in front of the Agora Midtown restaurant! We’re 2 blocks from the Midtown MARTA station! 😊 Once you purchase your tickets you’ll get a confirmation with all the… more

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We had soooo much fun aboard the Funny Bus this weekend. It was such a fun activity to do on a beautiful Saturday. It simply was the perfect blend of comedy, libations, and the city's history. Although we are a bunch of ATL natives, we learned so many interesting facts that none of us knew and our comedian, Connor, had us permanently engaged with his gift of gab. The tour was on a beautifully restored school bus boasting a retro vibe. The tour itself lasted 90-minutes with a small break for beverage refills (you are allowed to bring beer and wine) and a bio break. The tour was a great way to explore hip neighborhoods, expand our knowledge of the city, and find out where other locals hang. It is a fantastic activity any time you want to get together and laugh with family and friends.

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Business Owner

May 2, 2024

We’re thrilled you had such a great time on Funny Bus Atlanta Comedy City Tours! We hope you think of us again when you’re looking for something fun to do no matter if you’re a local Atlantan, or from out of town! We find our guests have a BLAST and learn a little history no matter where they LIVE! (-; Hope to see you again soon for the FUNNIEST tour in town!

I expected the comedian to be hilarious and that was not the case. The bus was hot. She was informative about the city but there was not enough comedy for me. 8/17/24

Aug 17, 2024

Hi Nanette! Thanks so much for the review and feedback. Yes, it’s August and we agree it’s HOT! There is a reason we’ve been nicknamed “Hotlanta”. (-; We know the bus can be a little warm, but we do mention in our confirmation that there is no A/C and you get a cross breeze from the large open windows. (No A/C is standard for most sightseeing tours) If you felt it was too hot to do the tour, I would have gladly moved your reservation to another day/month that was cooler! Also, sorry you felt the comedy wasn’t what you were expecting. Peyton has has had a lot of great feedback from other guests and has won various comedy competitions around town. Additionally, this week she just got back from a trip to NY after being chosen by Saturday Night Live to audition for one of their shows. We’re so proud of her! Nonetheless, comedy is subjective and not everyone necessarily agrees on what is funny so I’m sorry if it wasn’t what you expected. We would love to have you back during a cooler month and every “show” is a little different depending on the crowd, comedian, and what’s happening in the city so the experience could be completely different. Again, thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback and choosing Funny Bus to spend your afternoon! (-;

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Tour Bus Rental Near Atlanta, GA

When you need a tour bus rental in Atlanta, GA, count on Village Coach. We provide tour buses for musicians, theatrical groups, comedians and other performers starting or ending their tours near Atlanta. Our entertainer coaches can travel throughout the United States and Canada. Our bus charter services include:

• Entertainer tour bus rental, Atlanta, GA
• Entertainer coach rental, Atlanta, GA
• Bus leasing, Atlanta, GA
• Entertainer coach rental & tour trucking packages
• Tour trailers, Atlanta, GA

Based in Nashville , we can pick up at your location within a day. Call for details or request a quote online.

Entertainer Coach Rental Atlanta

Village Coach serves musicians, performers, comedians and theatrical groups throughout the greater Atlanta area. Although we’re based out of Nashville and Wichita, we often lease entertainer coaches to customers touring in and around Atlanta. Our experienced team is available to answer any questions and provide you with all the details you need for renting an entertainer coach in Atlanta. Contact us today or explore our coaches below.

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Tours From Atlanta

1-day atlanta to desert hills premium outlets tour tour code : go-atl-126.

Departure City : Atlanta GA

Available Days : Tue & Thu

Highlights : Come and shop in Desert Hills Premium Outlets! The bargains come with A-list names at this Greater Palm Springs center.

• Minimum of 2 people is required to be operated.

1-Day Atlanta City sightseeing Tour from Atlanta Tour code : GOL-ATL-110

Available Days :

Highlights : 【Elite Group】 Travel in style with a group no more than 14 guests. 【Premium Service】 Complimentary water bottle for each guest per day. 【Guaranteed Departure】 Guided group tour with a minimum of 2 guests. 【Must-see Landmarks】 CNN Headquarters, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca Cola.

• 1 bottle of water per person per day.
• Minimum 2 people.
• Only the guides and drivers who have COVID 19 negative can provide services from now onwards. Drivers and Guides will wear the mask. They will disinfect the bus daily. Travelers have to wear masks and their temperature will be monitored regularly. Travelers will be provided with hand sanitizer and wipes. We also suggest travelers to bring their own hand sanitizer. Bus sitting will be based on the standards set by the Government.

1-Day Atlanta to Biltmore Estate Sightseeing Tour Tour code : GOL-ATL-111

Highlights : We will explore the outclass beauty of the Biltmore estate. We will also visit Biltmore Wineryand taste some of the finest wine. Transportation is part of the package.

• 1 bottle of water per person per day. 
• Minimum 2 people

1-Day Atlanta to Helen Town and Dahlonega Gold Mine sightseeing Tour Tour code : GOL-ATL-112

Highlights : Visit Helen Town, Anna Ruby Falls and Dahlonega Consolidated Gold Mine on our exciting bus tour with special discounts and deal breaking prices.

2-Day Atlanta to Great Smoky Mountain, Pigeon Forge and Helen Town Tour Tour code : GOL-ATL-113

Highlights : Explore the finest views and outclass beauty of Great Smoky Mountain, Pigeon Forge, Titanic Museum Pigeon Forge, and Helen. We will also enjoy an excellent dinner show Dixie Stampede. Ground transportation in air-conditioned deluxe Vehicle and hotel stay will be provided.

3-Day Atlanta to Charleston, Asheville, Charlotte and Biltmore Estate Tour Tour code : GOL-ATL-104

Highlights : Join the guided bus tour starting from Atlanta. We will visit The USS Yorktown, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Asheville and Biltmore Estate. We will take Carolina Belle Cruise and enjoy Carriage tour. Ground transportation, accommodation and professional tour guide will be provided to visitors.

3-Day Atlanta to Dahlonega, Helen Town, World of Coca-Cola and Atlanta City Tour (Free Airport Pickup) Tour code : GOL-ATL-106A

Highlights : 1.   Hotel breakfast included every day, enjoy the breakfast before we depart.2.   Elite tour with professional tour leader, no more than 14 guests.3.   Complimentary 1 bottle water per person per day.4.   Visit the City of Atlanta, the most populous city in the Southeast of the US, and its popular attraction such as CNN headquarter, Georgia Aquarium, and World of Coca Cola.5.   Adventure underground in Dahlonega gold mine. Itinerary may vary due to departure dateFriday: Home-Atlanta; Atlanta City tour; Helen Town —DahlonegaSunday: Home-Atlanta; Helen Town —Dahlonega; Atlanta City tour

3-Day Atlanta to Biltmore Estate, Asheville and Atlanta City In-depth Tour (Free Airport Pickup) Tour code : GOL-ATL-108A

Highlights : Join the guided bus tour starting from Atlanta and get a chance to explore Asheville, Biltmore Estate, Biltmore Winery, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State Capitol, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, CNN Studios, Georgia Aquarium and much more.

3-Day Atlanta to Savannah, Orlando and Kennedy Space Center Tour Tour code : GOL-ATL-123

Highlights : Visit Gatorland, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando, Kennedy Space Center, River Street, Savannah, Orlando Eye, The Waving Girl Statue, Madame Tussauds, and much more inclusive of hotel stay and bus transportation.

• Complimentary breakfast included

4-Day Atlanta to Charleston, Asheville, Charlotte, Biltmore Estate and Atlanta City Tour Tour code : GOL-ATL-105

Highlights : Join the guided bus tour starting from Atlanta to explore the USS Yorktown, Magnolia Plantation, and Gardens, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Asheville, Biltmore Estate, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State Capitol, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, CNN Studios, Georgia Aquarium, Coca-Cola and much more. We will take Carolina Belle Cruise and also enjoy the Carriage tour. If departuring on Saturday： D1 Atlanta City Tour D2 Atlanta – Charleston D3 Charlotte– Asheville         D4 Asheville – Atlanta

• Hot Breakfast included.

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Harris and Walz make phone calls, rally volunteers on Pennsylvania bus tour before DNC

ROCHESTER, Pa. (AP) — Democratic presidential nominee  Kamala Harris  and running mate  Tim Walz  gave pep talks to campaign volunteers and a high school football team Sunday, with their bus tour in a corner of Pennsylvania serving as a modest, small-town version of the grand rally she’s expected to have  at the Democratic nominating convention  in Chicago this week.

Vice President Harris and Walz, the governor of Minnesota, were joined by their spouses, Doug Emhoff and Gwen Walz, as they stopped off to visit volunteers at a campaign office not far from Pittsburgh before continuing on to a firehouse and a high school in another town. The tour, in a bright blue bus decorated with the candidates’ names and the phrase “A new way forward,” also included pilgrimages to a convenience store and a restaurant known for its towering sandwiches.

Despite running as the sitting vice president, Harris told reporters she feels she has ground to make up in the race against former President  Donald Trump , the Republican presidential nominee.

“I very much consider us the underdogs,” Harris said at a stop in the township of Moon. “We have a lot of work to do to earn the vote of the American people. That’s why we’re on this bus tour today, and we’re going to be traveling this country as we’ve been and talking with folks, listening to folks, and hopefully earning their votes over the next 79 days.”

Southwestern Pennsylvania is a critical part of a key battleground state that has long commanded the attention of presidential candidates. The state voted for Trump in 2016 and for Biden in 2020. Both Harris and Trump are vying to see who can put Pennsylvania in their column on Nov. 5.

Trump, who is counting on strong turnout from his base of white, working-class voters, is not conceding the area. The counties around Pittsburgh have shifted from Democratic to Republican in recent presidential contests, delivering for Trump in both of his earlier runs.

In a demonstration of the area’s competing politics, Harris’ bus and motorcade twice on Sunday rolled past groups of Trump supporters with signs and banners bearing his name.

At her last stop, the vice president answered a few questions from reporters, something she’s been doing with increasing frequency as Trump has claimed she’s afraid to talk to the media and made a point of holding his own news conferences in recent weeks.

Throughout their tour Sunday, Harris and Walz shied away from policy or much politics in their remarks, instead sticking to broad-strokes messages focused on character, perseverance and the future of the country.

Harris, while speaking to a group of supporters and volunteers outside a campaign office in the borough of Rochester, spoke about strength and leadership. She appeared to make a veiled reference to Trump, who is known for his pugilistic style and projection of a strongman image, when she said the “real and true measure of a strength of a leader is based on who you lift up,” rather than who they beat down.

“Anybody who is about beating down other people is a coward,” she yelled, drawing cheers and applause. “This is what strength looks like.”

Walz seemed to assume the role of his former job coaching high school football and told the volunteers: “Let’s leave it all on the field. Let’s get this thing done.”

The vice president next stopped at a firehouse in Aliquippa, where she met firefighters, petted the station’s dog and gave the crew almond pastries, before heading to a nearby high school, she and Walz met with the local football coach and addressed the team, who kneeled on the field to listen.

Walz again slipped into coach mode, reminiscing a bit about his days leading a team before introducing Harris. She praised the young athletes for their leadership: “Our nation is counting on you and your excellence. We applaud your ambition.”

She also told them, “Welcome to the role model club.”

Most polls, including recent surveys from the  New York Times/Siena College  and  Fox News , find Harris and Trump locked in a tight race statewide.

Trump held a rally Saturday in Wilkes-Barre  in the northeastern part of the state, following his earlier rallies in July in Harrisburg and Butler, where he survived an assassination attempt.

The bus tour marks Harris’ eighth trip to Pennsylvania this year, and her second this month. The vice president chose to make her  first joint appearance with Walz  on the ticket in Philadelphia on Aug. 6.

On Sunday, Harris and Walz arrived with their spouses at Pittsburgh International Airport, where they held hands and raised their arms together in front of cheering supporters. The foursome then set off on their bus to glad-hand with voters in the Pittsburgh area.

At a stop in the township of Moon, Harris popped into a Sheetz convenience store to seek out Doritos, her go-to snack. She later stopped at a Primanti Bros. restaurant, a famed chain known for sandwiches layered with coleslaw and fries, where she met diners and posed for a few pictures. Both franchises were launched in western Pennsylvania.

Earlier in the day in Rochester, Harris, Walz and their spouses spent a few minutes sitting at tables with volunteers and making phone calls to line up support.

Harris took a cellphone from a volunteer and spoke to the person on the other end.

“I love Erie. At some point we’ll get to Erie,” Harris said.

She continued the conversation and at one point said, “79 days to go.”

Walz, sitting across the table from Harris, hung up from a call, said of the caller, “He’s all in,” and gave a thumbs up.

Kristin Kanthak, associate professor of political science at the University of Pittsburgh, said Pennsylvania “is a state that traditionally has been super important, but southwestern Pennsylvania has been really kind of the battleground part of the battleground state.”

After Trump’s surprise win in the state in 2016, Biden flipped Pennsylvania in 2020 — and, in so doing, won the White House — in part by running up his vote totals in heavily Democratic Pittsburgh, the state’s second-largest city.

Trump has embraced protectionist trade policies and insists he is pro-worker. His vow to increase U.S. energy production and “drill, baby, drill” has resonated in southwestern Pennsylvania blue-collar counties like Washington, where a natural gas drilling boom has helped make Pennsylvania the nation’s No. 2 producer after Texas. Harris once wanted to ban fracking, an oil and gas extraction process, before recently disavowing her earlier position — a reversal Trump has hammered her for.

Bus tours like the one Harris embarked on in Pennsylvania have become a staple of political campaigns partly because of the free media coverage they generate. Such trips get the candidates out of their power suits and out of Washington so they can travel the country and score face time with voters in small venues like diners and mom-and-pop shops.

The low-key venues of Harris’ campaign on Sunday will be replaced with their polar opposite Monday when the Democratic National Convention opens in Chicago, offering a prime-time showcase that director  Steven Spielberg  is  helping to choreograph .

Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Michael Rubinkam in northeastern Pennsylvania and Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Harris and Walz make small-town stops and campaign phone calls on Pennsylvania bus tour before DNC

Election 2024 Harris Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris greets members of the Aliquippa High School football team during a campaign stop at their school, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aliquippa, Pa. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) (Julia Nikhinson/AP)

ROCHESTER, Pa. — (AP) — Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz gave pep talks to campaign volunteers and a high school football team Sunday, with their bus tour in a corner of Pennsylvania serving as a modest, small-town version of the grand rally she's expected to have at the Democratic nominating convention in Chicago this week.

Vice President Harris and Walz, the governor of Minnesota, were joined by their spouses, Doug Emhoff and Gwen Walz, as they stopped off to visit volunteers at a campaign office not far from Pittsburgh before continuing on to a firehouse and a high school in another town. The tour, in a bright blue bus decorated with the candidates' names and the phrase “A new way forward,” also included pilgrimages to a convenience store and a restaurant known for its towering sandwiches.

Despite running as the sitting vice president, Harris told reporters she feels she has ground to make up in the race against former President Donald Trump , the Republican presidential nominee.

“I very much consider us the underdogs," Harris said at a stop in the township of Moon. "We have a lot of work to do to earn the vote of the American people. That’s why we’re on this bus tour today, and we’re going to be traveling this country as we’ve been and talking with folks, listening to folks, and hopefully earning their votes over the next 79 days.”

Southwestern Pennsylvania is a critical part of a key battleground state that has long commanded the attention of presidential candidates. The state voted for Trump in 2016 and for Biden in 2020. Both Harris and Trump are vying to see who can put Pennsylvania in their column on Nov. 5.

Trump, who is counting on strong turnout from his base of white, working-class voters, is not conceding the area. The counties around Pittsburgh have shifted from Democratic to Republican in recent presidential contests, delivering for Trump in both of his earlier runs.

In a demonstration of the area's competing politics, Harris' bus and motorcade twice on Sunday rolled past groups of Trump supporters with signs and banners bearing his name.

At her last stop, the vice president answered a few questions from reporters, something she’s been doing with increasing frequency as Trump has claimed she’s afraid to talk to the media and made a point of holding his own news conferences in recent weeks.

Throughout their tour Sunday, Harris and Walz shied away from policy or much politics in their remarks, instead sticking to broad-strokes messages focused on character, perseverance and the future of the country.

Harris, while speaking to a group of supporters and volunteers outside a campaign office in the borough of Rochester, spoke about strength and leadership. She appeared to make a veiled reference to Trump, who is known for his pugilistic style and projection of a strongman image, when she said the “real and true measure of a strength of a leader is based on who you lift up,” rather than who they beat down.

“Anybody who is about beating down other people is a coward,” she yelled, drawing cheers and applause. “This is what strength looks like.”

Walz seemed to assume the role of his former job coaching high school football and told the volunteers: “Let’s leave it all on the field. Let’s get this thing done.”

The vice president next stopped at a firehouse in Aliquippa, where she met firefighters, petted the station's dog and gave the crew almond pastries, before heading to a nearby high school, she and Walz met with the local football coach and addressed the team, who kneeled on the field to listen.

Walz again slipped into coach mode, reminiscing a bit about his days leading a team before introducing Harris. She praised the young athletes for their leadership: “Our nation is counting on you and your excellence. We applaud your ambition."

She also told them, “Welcome to the role model club.”

Most polls, including recent surveys from the New York Times/Siena College and Fox News , find Harris and Trump locked in a tight race statewide.

Trump held a rally Saturday in Wilkes-Barre in the northeastern part of the state, following his earlier rallies in July in Harrisburg and Butler, where he survived an assassination attempt.

The bus tour marks Harris' eighth trip to Pennsylvania this year, and her second this month. The vice president chose to make her first joint appearance with Walz on the ticket in Philadelphia on Aug. 6.

On Sunday, Harris and Walz arrived with their spouses at Pittsburgh International Airport, where they held hands and raised their arms together in front of cheering supporters. The foursome then set off on their bus to glad-hand with voters in the Pittsburgh area.

At a stop in the township of Moon, Harris popped into a Sheetz convenience store to seek out Doritos, her go-to snack. She later stopped at a Primanti Bros. restaurant, a famed chain known for sandwiches layered with coleslaw and fries, where she met diners and posed for a few pictures. Both franchises were launched in western Pennsylvania.

Earlier in the day in Rochester, Harris, Walz and their spouses spent a few minutes sitting at tables with volunteers and making phone calls to line up support.

Harris took a cellphone from a volunteer and spoke to the person on the other end.

“I love Erie. At some point we’ll get to Erie,” Harris said.

She continued the conversation and at one point said, “79 days to go."

Walz, sitting across the table from Harris, hung up from a call, said of the caller, “He’s all in,” and gave a thumbs up.

Kristin Kanthak, associate professor of political science at the University of Pittsburgh, said Pennsylvania “is a state that traditionally has been super important, but southwestern Pennsylvania has been really kind of the battleground part of the battleground state.”

After Trump’s surprise win in the state in 2016, Biden flipped Pennsylvania in 2020 — and, in so doing, won the White House — in part by running up his vote totals in heavily Democratic Pittsburgh, the state’s second-largest city.

Trump has embraced protectionist trade policies and insists he is pro-worker. His vow to increase U.S. energy production and “drill, baby, drill” has resonated in southwestern Pennsylvania blue-collar counties like Washington, where a natural gas drilling boom has helped make Pennsylvania the nation’s No. 2 producer after Texas. Harris once wanted to ban fracking, an oil and gas extraction process, before recently disavowing her earlier position — a reversal Trump has hammered her for.

Bus tours like the one Harris embarked on in Pennsylvania have become a staple of political campaigns partly because of the free media coverage they generate. Such trips get the candidates out of their power suits and out of Washington so they can travel the country and score face time with voters in small venues like diners and mom-and-pop shops.

The low-key venues of Harris' campaign on Sunday will be replaced with their polar opposite Monday when the Democratic National Convention opens in Chicago, offering a prime-time showcase that director Steven Spielberg is helping to choreograph .

Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Michael Rubinkam in northeastern Pennsylvania and Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Kamala Harris' Nomination Ignites Local Organizers to Rally Black Voters

Kamala Harris' Nomination Ignites Local Organizers to Rally Black Voters

FILE PHOTO: LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, stands for a portrait in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. July 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alyssa Pointer/File photo

By Bianca Flowers, Disha Raychaudhuri, Gabriella Borter and Allende Miglietta

(Reuters) - Black grassroots organizers are kicking off multi-state bus tours and raising millions of dollars for voter engagement and mobilization efforts in key battleground states, in hopes of helping secure Vice President Kamala Harris' White House bid ahead of the November presidential election. 

Reuters spoke with more than a dozen groups that are ramping up get-out-the-vote efforts through digital organizing, door-knocking, and targeting low-propensity voters in swing states.

Black voters will play a pivotal role in the election, with both Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump vying for their support, which could help sway the electoral outcome in states expected to have razor thin margins. 

Black communities have historically been viewed as the Democratic Party's most loyal voting bloc. But Black voter support for President Joe Biden had dropped earlier this year, largely driven by pocketbook issues, such as high inflation and the rising cost of living, as well as a lack of progress on racial justice efforts.

Harris, who would become the first Black woman and South Asian person to become president, now leads Trump 42% to 37%, according to an August Reuters/Ipsos poll, but experts and advocates said the challenge will be to transform excitement into voter turnout.

LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, said grassroots organizing will be crucial in turning out Black voters in Georgia, southern belt states and swing states. Brown's organization is embarking on a get-out-to vote bus tour across 20 states now through Nov. 5. The organization is planning to fill up two charter buses and 20 bus vans with volunteers.

"Some of my friends who I've been trying to get engaged in this election, they'd say 'oh yeah, I'm going to vote'," Brown said. "Now, they are going beyond saying 'I'm going to vote' but 'put me to work.'" 

Organizers in Georgia, the state that helped clinch Biden's 2020 presidency and two key U.S. Senate Democratic seats, plan to again galvanize a multiracial coalition of voters.

Black Voters Matter Fund is collaborating with more than 100 local community groups across Georgia and other states to enhance get-out-the-vote efforts which Brown believes will help them reach an estimated 10 million voters. 

Makiah Reeves, a 22-year-old nursing student in Georgia plans to join hundreds of volunteers on the bus tour to energize young Black voters, who she believes remain apathetic. She'll be participating in a youth-focused campaign that includes historically Black college campuses outreach events.

"To hear a lot of young people say they just don't want to vote, it needs to change," Reeves said.

The NAACP announced earlier this year the launch of Building Community Voice Fund, a non-partisan, multi-million dollar fund established to provide grants to nonprofit voter registration and voter turnout initiatives and organizations, including complementary voter education and voter protection programs.

Last week, nine advocacy groups formed the Black Power Voters Alliance to mobilize 1.6 million Black voters in seven states. 

Groups like BlackPAC, a left-leaning political action committee, are pouring millions into their voter outreach efforts. BlackPAC said it is spending $30 million in Black voter outreach in battleground states.

Grassroots leaders are also implementing safety measures to protect volunteers amid concerns about political violence. 

"Where we do field work, we always have security now," said Melanie Campbell, president of National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. 

Elijah Grace, the New Georgia Project Action Fund's Director of Field Operations said they're training door-knocking canvassers on de-escalation techniques.

CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR HARRIS CAMPAIGN

Despite high enthusiasm for Harris, a significant disparity remains among likely voter turnout between younger and older Black voters, said Terrance Woodbury, chief executive of public opinion research firm HIT Strategies.

"Black voters under 50 are more than half of the electorate and remain the least likely voters," Woodbury said, adding researchers are continuing to examine the reasons why. "It's a gap in their vote choice and it's a gap in their decision to vote or not vote at all."

With less than 80 days until the election, Harris' campaign hopes to reengage disenchanted voters and lure undecided moderates. 

Keisha Lance Bottoms, senior advisor to the Harris campaign and former mayor of Atlanta, said trusted local community members should be deployed to communicate Harris' platform and accomplishments.

"There's a really strong record to run on from the Biden Harris administration," Bottoms said. The campaign has yet to reveal specific policy platforms addressed to the Black communities.

Yet, they still face the challenge of luring undecided voters. Many pro-Palestinian activists have said they refuse to vote for Harris without commitments towards changing U.S. policy towards Israel. Thousands are expected to protest the Biden administration outside the Democratic National Convention this week.

Republican strategist Jon Fleischman said Harris and Trump can count on deep support from their respective bases, but that alone won't translate into winning the election. 

“They both have an identity that they feel will really appeal to their base, and at the same time, they both need to figure out how to get to that undecided swing voter," he said.

(Reporting by Bianca Flowers, Disha Raychaudhuri, Gabriella Borter and Allende Miglietta; Editing by Kat Stafford)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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