Democratic National Convention Events
Be A Part of Mile High History!

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 you 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 coming up -- and a few that are already underway!

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.

1908: When The Democrats First Came To Denver
At the Denver Public Library (10 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy.), explore Denver through the eyes of a Democratic National Convention delegate from 100 years ago in 1908—When the Democrats First Came to Denver. Collections from the Denver Public Library’s Western History Department and the Colorado Historical Society are combined for this joint exhibit, which includes more than 100 photographs, newspapers and cartoons illustrating the places across the metro area where the 1908 delegates visited and the memorabilia they took home with them. Curated by Myron Vallier of the Denver Public Library Western History/Genealogy Department and Judy Steiner, Colorado Historical Society Associate Curator of Photography and Films. More info at www.denverlibrary.org and www.coloradohistory.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. On Aug. 25, the winners will be shown at a music/film/comedy extravaganza at Red Rocks. Get tickets at www.redrocksonline.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.             

1908 Denver Democratic National Convention Memorabilia at Regis University
Visitors to Regis University’s Dayton Memorial Library have the opportunity to view rare, historical campaign items from several U.S. presidents and political candidates as part of the Notarianni Political Collection. A portion of the collection includes a limited number of 1908 Denver Democratic National Convention objects, which will remain on display through September 25. Get more info at www.regis.edu.

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.

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.

Steam Locomotive At Union Station, Aug. 20-28
Steam Locomotive No. 844 is the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific Railroad and will be on display during the Democratic National Convention in Denver at Union Station.  It was delivered in 1944. A high-speed passenger engine, it pulled such widely known trains as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger. The engine has run hundreds of thousands of miles as Union Pacific's ambassador of goodwill. It has made appearances at Expo '74 in Spokane, the 1981 opening of the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans and the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Los Angeles Union Statio n in 1989. Hailed as Union Pacific's "Living Legend," the engine is widely known among railroad enthusiasts for its excursion runs, especially over Union Pacific's fabled crossing of Sherman Hill between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming. 

MSNBC Broadcast from Union Station
Join MSNBC, live, August 25 - 28th, from behind Union Station, 16th Street Mall and Union Station (Wewatta Street) where we will be broadcasting an unprecedented 20 hours a day from the news network's outdoor location. See, hear, and even speak with today's newsmakers and nation’s politicians.  Be part of history in the making, during one of the most super-charged political seasons of our lifetime. Coverage kicks off daily at 4am with Joe Scarborough and "Morning Joe" at Sam’s #3 and continues throughout the day with commentary and analysis by the MSNBC & NBC News team, including Andrea Mitchell, David Gregory, and Norah O'Donnell, all leading up to our Prime Time coverage hosted by Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews beginning at 3pm.

Bovine Metropolis Theater's Political Comedy
Head to one of Denver's favorite improv/sketch comedy venues for a dose of irreverent politically-themed shows during the Convention Week at the Bovine Metropolis Theater. Every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in August, check out "Convention?", a hilarious look at how NOT to get elected. On Sunday, August 24th at 7pm and August 25 - 28, roll in the aisles at "Planet Washington," featuring former Capitol Hill staffer and Capitol Step, Ken Rynne, and piano accompanist and sidekick, Seymour Muchmore, who combine music, parodies, and audience interaction to spoof politics and pop culture. And don't miss special late night performances August 25 - 28 at 11 p.m. of  "On The Spot," a show in the style of "Whose Line is it Anyway," featuring four actors and a moderator who use audience suggestions to make for an action-packed night of comedy. Get more info at www.bovinemetropolis.com.

Rocky Mountain Roundtable
The Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee has launched a series of 10 issue-oriented, non-partisan discussions, collectively entitled the 2008 Rocky Mountain Roundtable. The event is aimed at fostering civic engagement and substantive public dialogue during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Participants in the Rocky Mountain Roundtable include dignitaries from across the country and around the world, such as former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, NBC News journalist Tom Brokaw, former U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, actor and director Ben Affleck and Google Foundation Executive Director Larry Brilliant, among many others. Get more info at www.2008rmr.org.

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. 

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.

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.

Special Convention Belt Buckles
Great Western Art Gallery (located Downtown in the Theatre District) is proud to offer beautifully hand-crafted, limited edition belt buckles. These buckles are exclusively designed for the gallery, to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Democratic National Convention being held in Denver, CO in August of 2008. Get more info at www.greatwesternartgalleryllc.com/dnc2008.html.

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!

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More Democratic National Convention Features
A Conventioneer's Itinerary (Find out how to spend your free time during the Convention)
A Green Convention (How this year's Convention will be the most eco-friendly of all time)
The After 5 Jazz and Blues Festival (A swinging music fest held during the Convention)
The Green Frontier Fest (A celebration of eco-friendly choices and innovations)
The Politics of Denver (A look at the city's political history and venues)
Obama at INVESCO (An in-depth look at this amazing event)