Last night the Mayor returned to his old haunt, the Wynkoop Brewery, to throw a huge convention bash featuring local band and rising national sensation the Flobots. While the crowd might have been a little, well, old for the hip-hop beats, the event drew a broad range of Colorado politicos, including Pueblo sensations Ken Lane and Sal Pace, former Colorado Dem Party Chair Chris Gates, former Colorado first lady Dottie Lamm (the first candidate I ever worked for) and her daughter Heather, Host Committee COO Paul Lhevine, and a whole host of others that I’m just not important enough to know personally.
Co-hosted with the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the evening featured an exclusive beer available for that night only — Mayor John’s Windpower Wheat. If the Wynkoop served this on a regular basis, I’d ditch my also-wind-powered-but-should-be-solar-powered Sunshine Wheat in a heartbeat.
Passes for the party came on coasters — by far the most creative invite I’ve seen so far. The Mayor also made sure to have a local “playa” at the door to take good care of Colorado’s political folks, even if they didn’t manage to get a coaster for their girlfriend. (Thanks Lisa!)
The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) event at Elitch’s drew a far smaller crowd than Saturday’s Media Welcoming Party, but it had far more booze. Unfortunately I got so caught up at the Wynkoop that I just barely got to ride the Ferris Wheel (invented at the Chicago World’s Fair of the 1890s) before the park shut down, but the lady at the ice cream shop took very good care of my girlfriend and me and our late-night strawberry cookies-and-cream craving.
Just a few of the other parties also going on last night: Rock the Vote had a rockin’ party at the Ellie Caulkin, Willie Nelson played Invesco (he plays Red Rocks tonight, with a VIP party I’ve worked on to benefit Darfur beforehand), the New Leaders Council held an “Emerging Leaders Party” at the Lure Lounge (alliteration, anyone?), and Hillary Clinton spoke at an event celebrating women entrepreneurs at the Denver Art Museum.
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Colorado Independent’s blog-i-nist (blogger-columnist) Jeff Bridges has worked in Democratic politics for the last 10 years, serving as communications director for two congressional races in Colorado and two governors races in the Deep South. Bridges also worked for Sen. Ken Salazar as a legislative assistant in D.C., and currently serves on the board of directors for New Era Colorado and the Colorado Conservation Voters.
