Sen. Barack Obama's "Road To Change" bus tour will lead him to Lancaster on Monday.
The Democratic presidential hopeful will conduct a town-hall meeting at the John Barley Multi-Purpose Activity Center at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology starting at 10 a.m. Doors will open at 8 a.m.
"It's a great location," said Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray. "Thaddeus Stevens would be very proud that an institution named for him would host an event for Sen. Obama."
Stevens, a congressman from Lancaster during the Civil War, fought against slavery and for racial equality. He is buried in Shriner Cemetery at Mulberry and Chestnut streets — the only burial ground in the city at the time that permitted the interment of both whites and blacks.
"Maybe I'll walk by his grave this evening and give him a wink," Gray said. "He'll be there in spirit."
Tickets for Monday's event are free and can be picked up at Obama for America, Lancaster County headquarters, 240 Harrisburg Pike.
Seating is limited, and tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
For security purposes, those attending Obama's town meeting may not bring bags and should limit personal belongings. Also, no signs or banners will be permitted.
Gray, who could be an Obama delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo., later this year, said he's been talking to the Obama camp for several days about the senator's visit.
"I've been in discussions with them all week," Gray said. "But the when and where and final arrangements were sort of last-minute. I was in Philadelphia Thursday and stopped by Obama headquarters there, and that's when the the decision was made."
The mayor is pleased that both Obama and his Democratic opponent — Sen. Hillary Clinton, who stopped in Lancaster last Tuesday — have visited the city.
"It's generated a great amount of excitement," Gray said. "I'm as excited as everybody else is."
Obama's "Road To Change" bus tour of Pennsylvania will make several stops before arriving in Lancaster.
On Saturday, Obama will hold a meeting in the gymnasium of the Greater Johnstown High School.
On Sunday, Obama will make two stops.
The first will be at Penn State University, where gates will open at 11:30 a.m. and the meeting, on the Old Main lawn, will commence at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets are not required for either the Johnstown or Penn State events, but those wanting to attend should sign up at www.barackobama.com.
The second stop Sunday will be in Harrisburg, where Obama will hold a town-hall meeting at the Forum Auditorium in the state Capitol Complex.
Doors open at 4 p.m., and the meeting starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are free and can be picked up at Obama headquarters, 401 N. Second St., from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to noon Sunday.
Clinton and Obama are locked in a tight race for the Democratic nomination. To date, according to CNN, Obama leads Clinton in the number of delegates with 1,625 to 1,486. Pennsylvania has 188 delegates up for grabs. However, the state also has 30 superdelegates who are not pledged to either candidate and could tip the balance.
Superdelegates are either elected officials or prominent members of the party who are appointed to their position by their party peers.
To win the Democratic nomination, a candidate needs 2,025 delegates nationally.
E-mail: lalexander@lnpnews.com