Two years ago, DFL delegates had their pick of candidate karaoke, a pub crawl, an Iron Range music jam and other assorted post-business parties to pick from at their state convention.
This year, with no contested endorsement to sort out, the Democrats' convention in Rochester lacks the political drama of that gathering but will still try to party like DFLers always do at their state conventions.
Here are some of the highlights:
Friday night, Planned Parenthood is having a hospitality suite at the Rochester's Kahler Grand Hotel's Centennial Room until 7 p.m. and the DFL House and Senate caucuses' party will go on until 8 p.m. in the Kahler Grand's Centennial Hall. DFL chair Ken Martin and the party's associate chairs are also doing some hosting -- until 8 p.m. Friday they will be holding court at Michael's restaurant in Rochester.
Saturday night, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. the DFL constituency caucus will hold a reception in the Kahler Grand's Viking Room while over in the hotel's regency room Minnesota United for All Families will have a reception in the Regency Room.The Stonewall DFL also plans to have a party at the Kahler Grand -- with a Bloody Mary bar -- to honor late DFL activist Jackie Stevenson.
The biggest party Saturday may be U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar's. She is slated to be endorsed Saturday shortly after noon. Her reception is in the Marriott hotel's Den restaurant. It goes until 11 p.m.
