Needing a Day to Recover

It will be tough for the Democratic National Convention host committee to top its opening party Saturday. Perhaps getting Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Brad Pitt and a margarita bar in a swank hotel suite would do it. Short of that, it would seem the biggest party of the convention has already been thrown.
The Convention with Altitude shindig Saturday night kicked off the festivities for delegates and members of the media. It was at Elitch Gardens, and was essentially every eight-year-old’s dream.

We had the downtown amusement park to ourselves and everything was free: beer, games, carnival prizes, funnel cakes and of course a few healthy servings of Rocky Mountain Oysters. Many of the 9,000 attendees left with bags filled with stuffed animals and other gaudy prizes.

Perhaps the most underrated aspect of the party was getting to ride all the attractions without waiting in line. In a 10-minute period, we tackled the halfpipe twice and the Boomerang. I was pretty dizzy after that. Drinking three or four Killians prior to that probably didn’t help, either.

The Flobots stole the show on the main stage, giving a politically-charged performance that backed our belief that they’ll be the next big band to come out of Colorado.

Then, of course, there were the fireworks. Let’s hope the Colorado Rockies hire the same people for next year’s 4th of July show.

Coming from three different directions, the park was showered in bright-colored explosions for 15 minutes.

Guess we know were a chunk of the $40 million raised for the convention went to.

Needless to say, it was a heckuva way to start off the week, although judging from some bloodshot eyes today at media check in, it’s probably a good thing everyone had a day off before the convention starts tomorrow.

—Jacob Harkins, Yellow Scene Magazine editor