Get your convention party lists here

If you haven't noticed, Denver is about to host the Democratic National Convention. And that means lots of parties. Recently Denver Post columnist Bill Husted reported Denver convention organizer, lobbyist Steve Farber, saying there could be as many as 1,000 of them. And of course that doesn't even count the parties happening in Minneapolis for the Republican National Convention.

Of course I'm not invited to the great majority of these parties and neither are you. They are primarily for lobbyists and political insiders. However, as part of my work in preparation for launching a new Party Time project for the Sunlight Foundation, I've stumbled upon lists of 370 events and parties compiled by a top Washington lobbying firm, Quinn
Gillespie & Associates. Here is the list for the Democratic
National Convention in Denver and here's the one for the Republican
National Convention.

The lists identify parties, receptions, symposiums and other events sponsored by the likes of Bank of America, the Distilled Spirits Council, Eli Lilly, AT&T, and Anheuser Busch. They show that partying will continue at the conventions despite the new ethics law, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, which prohibits lobbyists from throwing parties honoring specific lawmakers. The lists are by no means complete, but they provide a good party starter guide.

A sampling of the parties listed include:

Democratic National Convention

• An opening night party on Sunday at the Democratic National Convention by the
  lobbying firm Brownstein, Hyatt, where convention organizer, Steven Farber,
  works, at the Denver Art Museum;
• A DNC top donor reception that same night;
• A variety of events for delegates sponsored by AT&T;
• A "late nite" party at The Loft sponsored by USTelecom on Monday night;
• An "FSR Literacy" luncheon on Tuesday sponsored by a host of financial
  companies.

Republican National Convention

• A health care luncheon on Tuesday sponsored by Eli Lilly;
• A host of parties sponsored by AT&T, including a "Texas honky tonk," a
  Young Guns" reception, and an African American voter reception and a Hispanic
  voter reception;
• A reception sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters;
• Hospitality suites sponsored by Honeywell, Anheuser Busch, and Citi;
• A wrap party hosted by the lobbying firm Patton Boggs.

The Sunlight Foundation's new Party Time project will make its debut the week of August 18. compiles the thousands of invitations to congressional fundraisers that are sent out by fax, email and snail mail to lobbyists, Political Action Committee (PAC) representatives and others around Washington, D.C. and beyond. Visitors to the Web site will be able to find out about the events, often before they happen. Stay tuned.

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