Party like it's--oh, forget it

The DNC host committee announced its party schedule for the night before the convention opens:

The city's committee responsible for hosting the 2008 Democratic National Convention announced today the 24 venues at which it will welcome the 54 delegations.

The sites include some of the city's jewels, such as Red Rocks, the Botanic Gardens and the Zoo. The parties will be held Sunday Aug. 24. The convention runs Aug. 25 - 28.

Top slots went to the state delegations representing the home turf of Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who remain in a heated race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Obama's Illinois delegates will be treated to a party at the Denver Art Museum. Clinton's New York representatives will party at the Pinnacle Club.

Colorado delegates will be feted at the Governor's Mansion.

Michigan and Florida, who broke party rules by holding primaries early, have been stripped of delegates and don't have a party location.

Awwww.

The host city's party planner, Jenny Anderson, said the venues were picked "to showcase all that the region has to offer."

Interestingly, Civic Center park isn't among the venues. Though Anderson won a permit for the park for the 24th, and angered protesters in the process, she says she is still determining what event or events to hold there.

Here's a map of where the venues is going to be at.

Update: Everyone loves to draw a happy clown cartoon! Or else!

Update II: Stay with the monster truck vid. The dinosaur munching vehicles to U-2's "Vertigo" is awesome.