Denver: The Parties

Denver is shaping up to be quite the party. In a schedule obtained by TIME there are already more than 300 events and parties starting the Saturday before the convention and ending in what will surely be the wee hours Friday morning. Attendees will get treated to daily midnight broadcasts of the Daily Show live from a nearby college campus starting Tuesday, a daily cafe sponsored by MySpace and what appears to be near nightly jazz and other concerts (including a big benefit marking the anniversary of Katrina).

Bored at the opening day? The Denver Art Museum is throwing open its doors for the day. Some lucky guests of the New Democrat Coalition will get to see the Reds v. Rockies in “party suits” at Coors Field. Others may go hear Willie Nelson and Jerry Jeff Walker in concert, see Melissa Etheridge host “Rock to Win,” hear the Black-Eyed Peas at the Creative Coalition's benefit (the group is also honoring Annette Bening at another event), or be hosted by Jennifer Lopez at a yet-to-be-named DNC event Wednesday night.

Some of the events listed are quite provocative, such as the “Sex, Politics and Cocktails late Night Dance Party” hosted by Planned Parenthood Monday night. And then there's a mysterious “possible reception to Honor the Candidate (hosted by Kennedy),” with no explanation of which Kennedy (or, for that matter, which candidate) time TBA Tuesday night.

A couple of events are being hosted by folks rumored to be on Veep lists: a Monday brunch hosted by Heather and Tony Podesta and a reception Wednesday hosted by Janet Napolitano honoring Ann Richards. And our own Joe Klein will be moderating a discussion between William Perry and Richard Danzig on "The Next Administration's National Security and Defense Priorities."

For a Party that claims to eschew lobbyists there's also a fair number of corporate parties hosted by the likes of Patton Boggs, Daimler, Hogan & Hartson, Qwest, AT&T, Brownstein, Hyatt & Farber LLC, and my personal favorite, The Distilled Spirits Council.