‘Deadheads for Kamala’ to mark Jerry Garcia’s birthday with Harris fundraiser

A group dubbed “Deadheads for Kamala” will mark the late Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia’s birthday with a fundraiser for Vice President Harris, who became the likely Democratic presidential nominee after President Biden withdrew from the race last week.

The virtual event , slated for Aug. 13, will celebrate Garcia’s birthday and aim to mobilize attendees to help elect Harris for president this November, according to the event invitation.

It will be hosted by David Gans, the host of the radio program “The Grateful Dead Hour,” and Steve Leventhal, the owner and host of Acid Flashback Radio, per the invitation.

Garcia died in August 1995 after suffering a heart attack at a residential drug treatment facility in Forest Knolls, Calif. He was 53 years old. Garcia’s actual birthday is Aug. 1, but organizers said the event will take place on Aug. 13 due to a scheduling conflict.

“Deadhead” is the term used for fans of the American rock band The Grateful Dead. It has stuck with the subculture of fans since the 1970s and long after the group disbanded following Garcia’s death.

The event marks one of the various efforts to shore up financial support for Harris, who launched her presidential campaign less than two weeks ago following Biden’s exit from the race . He endorsed Harris, who quickly shored up Democratic support and spurred excitement in the party.

Harris’s campaign said it raised $200 million within a week of Biden announcing he would stand aside. More than 170,000 new volunteers have reportedly signed up.

A demographic effort called “White Dudes for Harris” raised more than $4 million on a call this week, which featured various famous figures, including actors Jeff Bridges, Mark Hamill, Bradley Whitford, Josh Gad, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Paul Scheer, along with singers Lance Bass and Josh Groban.

Last week, 40,000 people joined a “Win with Black Women” call to support Harris’s Oval Office bid.

Story was updated at 5:02 p.m. ET

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