Democratic National Convention Events
June 11, 2008
The Democratic National Convention, coming to Denver Aug. 25-28, 2008, is already shaping up to be one of the biggest events in the Mile High City’s 150-year history. How can the public get involved? While the Convention itself will be closed to the general public, there will be a myriad of tie-ins that will allow Denverites to be a part of Mile High history. Here’s a look at a few Convention-related activities that are already underway!
Obama At INVESCO
Get ready to be a part of Mile High History. In an unprecedented move, the Democratic National Convention Committee announced that Senator Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination for President of the United States at Denver's 75,000-capacity INVESCO Field at Mile High on the final night of the Convention, Thursday, Aug. 28. Previous Conventions have seen the nominee making his acceptance speech in front of a much smaller crowd of delegates and media. This year, Denverites will have the chance to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event live and in person. It will serve as an amazing cap to what is sure to be a phenomenal week in Denver's 150-year history. Details on how to get tickets coming soon! Sign up to be notified here.
Rock The Vote Ballot Bash
On August 25th, 2008, at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Downtown Denver, the Rock The Vote Ballot Bash fundraiser will take place with a live concert featuring exclusive performances and collaborations by big name artists. Wyclef Jean is confirmed to perform and additional A-list artist performances will be announced shortly. Get more info at www.rockthevote.com/rocktheconvention.
Dialog: City
Democracy is all about dialogue -- getting your voice heard and being exposed to new ideas. To that end, Dialog: City is an arts and cultural event, taking place Aug. 21-29, that hopes to spark a citywide conversation by inviting internationally renowned artists and designers to create participatory, interactive, and dialogical site-specific works in neighborhoods across the city of Denver. An initiative of the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the Democratic National Convention Local Host Committee, Dialog: City has already attracted a number of world-renowned artists, including Ann Hamilton, DJ Spooky, Sharon Hayes and Spurse Collective. What should you expect? The unexpected! Music, sculpture, performance art ecology, dance, architecture and more -- it's all part of the dialogue. Get updates and more information at www.dialogcity.org.
Cinemocracy
Get those cameras rolling! The Denver Office of Cultural Affairs and the Denver Film Society are inviting citizens to speak out and share ideas on what democracy is (or isn't) through the creation of short films. Submit your five-minute film online through July 15, 2008 for a chance to have it selected for a special public screening during the Convention in August -- the top 25 films will be shown. The winner of the Cinemocracy Competition will have his or her film shown during the Starz Denver Film Festival in November. Even if you're not a filmmaker, you can let your voice be heard by heading here to watch the films and vote for your favorite -- this is a democracy, after all. Learn more about the competition at www.cinemocracy.org.
The American Presidential Experience: A Non-Partisan Tribute to Presidential History
The American Presidential Experience, the largest traveling exhibit of presidential memorabilia, will be open to the public and located at Invesco Field at Mile High (Parking Lot D) from Aug. 22 - 29. Appearing for the first time in the Rocky Mountain Region, the spectacular 150,000-square-foot, non-partisan exhibit invites everyone to learn more about democracy in action through educational exhibits celebrating three centuries of presidential history. The exhibit will include a wide variety of items and activities, including life-size replicas of Air Force One and the Oval Office, six presidential libraries (from three Republican and three Democratic administrations), a collection of first lady gowns, and celebrity book author signings. For more information, please visit www.presidentialexperience.com or www.denverconvention2008.com.
Free Day at Denver Art Museum courtesy of Target
As part of its strong commitment to community and the arts, Target will host a free day at the Denver Art Museum (DAM) on Monday, August 25, to celebrate the Democratic National Convention. This special day will allow Denverites, delegates and their families a chance to view the world-class collections and spectacular exhibitions at the DAM. DAM will open its doors with free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, August 25, a day the Museum is normally closed to visitors. To find out more information about DAM and the Democratic National Convention, including information on events, parking and other details, please visit www.denverartmuseum.org.
America Live and In Person
It's kind of like "Open Mic Night," only on a much bigger scale. The City and County of Denver in partnership with the Denver 2008 Host Committee is inviting you to step up and tell the world your story of what America means to you. There are so many ways to participate -- through personal stories, photographs, poems, original song, paintings, and pretty much anything you can dream up. It can be a big idea -- like how being an American has affected all the things you've done in life. Or it can be a small moment -- something that symbolizes to you what America is all about. It can be touching, funny, inspiring or thought-provoking. It just has to come from your heart. Best submissions will be showcased on the Convention Host Committee website and throughout the city at locations to be disclosed soon. Submit your entry online through July 15, 2008 for consideration for online posting and inclusion in a traveling exhibit. Or visit online to vote for your favorite submission.
Highlands Square Specials
Denver’s hip and historic shopping district, Highlands Square, will welcome August’s Convention visitors from August 25 – 28, 2008, with special offerings, discounts, meals – and a free shuttle to ease the 10-minute commute. The free shuttle will feature the green "Hop, Skip, and a Jump" logo above and make hourly pick-ups downtown from local hotels. Riders will enjoy the journey with a Highlands Host or Hostess who will answer questions and point out historic highlights along the way. For the shuttle schedule and merchant specials, visitors can go to www.32ndAveDenver.com.
Denver 8.08
The Denver Host Committee, in partnership with Denver 8 TV and the Denver Metro Convention Visitors Bureau, launched "Denver 8.08," a monthly television series in May. The show highlights the people, activities and organizations working on making the Democratic National Convention a success for everyone in the Denver area and Rocky Mountain Region. Each segment of the 4-part series will give a behind-the-scenes look at the special features of this convention, as well as how the convention will create a defining moment in history for Denver. Scheduled air times for the City and County of Denver are as listed below; a new program will air each month as a lead up to the convention and can be viewed on Channel 8: Mondays 5:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., Tuesdays 5:30 p.m., Wednesdays 7:30 a.m., 9:30 p.m., Thursdays 10:00 a.m., 7:30 p.m., Fridays 7:30 a.m., Saturdays 7:30 a.m., 8:00 p.m., Sundays 1:00 p.m. Get more info at www.denvergov.org/denver8tv.
Brown Palace Presidential Tours
Having hosted every U.S. president since Teddy Roosevelt, except Calvin Coolidge, and serving as the host hotel for the 1908 Democratic National Convention, The Brown Palace has enjoyed a rich presidential past filled with colorful anecdotes. Beginning Saturday, July 5, 2008, at 1 p.m., the public can explore these stories on a guided tour. Presidential tours will be offered every Saturday at 1 p.m. through Aug. 9, 2008. Reservations required. Call: 303-294-3618. The Brown Palace Hotel has welcomed many political dignitaries and has even recognized three of the most notable (Eisenhower, Reagan and Roosevelt) by naming presidential suites after them. Coincidently, they are all republicans, and in honor of the return of the Democratic National Convention, the Eisenhower Suite will be renamed the Barack Obama Suite through the end of the convention. As in the other presidential suites, paraphernalia and photos will decorate the room. A sight to be seen will be the massive 16-by-30-foot U.S. flag that will be hung in the center of the atrium lobby on Thursday, July 3, at 11 a.m. The flag was believed to have hung as early as the 1940s and was taken down in 1996. The flag has seen various historic events including Denver’s first televised broadcast of the World Series, which was shown only at The Brown Palace Hotel in 1951. (Photo Attached.) This historic flag will be hung through the end of the Democratic National Convention.
Green Frontier Fest
To be held Sunday, August 24 in the Sculpture Park of the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the Green Frontier Fest will be an open-to-the-public event promoting green practices and highlighting the sustainable aspects of the Democratic National Convention. The free festival will feature human-powered carnival rides for the kids, information booths hosted by eco-friendly businesses and organizations, as well as exhibits and artwork promoting eco-friendly messages.
Dr. Seuss For President Art Exhibit
Coinciding with the historic 2008 Presidential election, Dr. Seuss throws his “hat” into the ring by releasing the first-ever political print editions to the public. Featuring imagery from politically charged artworks, books and editorial cartoons, the Dr. Seuss for President art exhibition offers an unusual glimpse into the sociopolitical-minded imagination from the world’s most celebrated icon of popular culture. The exhibition will be featured at Gallery One Writer’s Square art gallery in Denver beginning Friday, August 15th through September 30th.
After Five Jazz and Blues Festival 2008
Denver's rich jazz and blues heritage will be on display during the Convention in August. The After Five Jazz and Blues Festival 2008's stellar musical line-up will represent jazz, blues, Latin jazz, African jazz, gospel and old school jams all in the vibrant Five Points Neighborhood -- known as "the Harlem of the West" in the big band days. Negotiations with artists for the 2008 festival are underway. The festival will kick off the weekend before the DNC convention with afternoon performances. Then, during the week, attendees can look forward to premier performances after 5 p.m. A limited number of festival tickets will be sold to the public. Visit www.DenverJazzFestival2008.com for current information about tickets and performers and sponsorship information.
Community Open House at the Pepsi Center
For one day during the week prior to the start of the Convention, local residents will be invited to tour the Pepsi Center and see first-hand where history will be made within the Convention hall. Beginning in July, the Pepsi Center will undergo a significant transformation from sports arena to Convention hall and will be equipped with the latest technology, seating for delegates from around the country and infrastructure for media from around the world. The focal point of the Convention hall is the podium, which will serve as the platform from which the presumptive nominee will accept the nomination and will play host to an impressive list of Party leaders throughout the Convention. Given direction to "break the mold" this cycle, the DNCC production team designed the podium to anchor this technically savvy Convention and reflect throughout the week the energy, historic significance and enthusiasm of the Party and its nominee. During the open house, local residents will be the first to get a glimpse of the innovative podium design before thousands of delegates and other special guests arrive in Denver. The date of the open house and ticketing information will be released in August.
Interfaith Gathering
To kick-off Convention week in a spirit of unity, the DNCC, in conjunction with the Democratic Party's Faith in Action (FIA) Initiative, will host an interfaith gathering on Sunday, August 24th, beginning at 2:00 PM at the Wells Fargo Theater located in the Colorado Convention Center. This is the first time a celebration of this nature has been part of a Democratic National Convention and is symbolic of the Party's desire to bring multiple communities together under its "big tent." The gathering will include clergy of different faiths, Party leaders, elected officials and local community leaders. Speakers and musical guests will be announced later this summer. The event will be open to the public.
More Events
The wildly popular satirical news show The Daily Show with Jon Stewart will be taping several episodes at Denver University's Newman Center for the Performing Arts during the Convention. Tickets for the tapings appear to be sold out already, but check out www.thedailyshow.com/tickets_denver.jhtml as the Convention approaches to see if more seats are made available. On opening night, Wyclef Jean and a host of other performers will kick things off in grand style at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House (in the Denver Performing Arts Complex) with a concert hosted by MTV's Rock The Vote.
Online Coverage
The general public won't be allowed in the Pepsi Center during the Convention, but this is the next best thing. In an effort to engage as many people as possible in the Convention experience, the DNCC is using cutting-edge technology to "bring down the walls" of the Pepsi Center and make this year's Convention the most accessible and tech-savvy event of its kind. The DNCC's website, DemConvention.com, will stream live, gavel-to-gavel, HD coverage of the highest quality to a worldwide audience. Among the many features of this feed will be the ability for viewers to select their preferred camera angle, essentially allowing them to direct their own Convention coverage.
Bookmark this page for more information and events leading up to the Convention!