Article Contributed on: 8/24/2008 2:27:01 PM
For the thousands of members of the media who gathered at Elich's Aug. 23 for the pre-DNC media party, it was like being a kid in a candy shop. With free candy.
Everywhere you went, people were lugging bags full of stuffed animals they won as prizes at the carnival games. One man proudly showed mea 4-foot-high stuffed dog, which he won for his daughter. "That's probably bigger than your daughter!" I said.
Others touted nearly life-sized Batman dolls, various Simpons figures, and appropriately enough, huge donkeys (from the movie
Shrek). I am wondering how all the out-of-towners are going to bring their prizes home -- good luck fitting Batman in the overhead compartment!
And if you need more proof that those games are nearly impossible ... my boyfriend,
Gabe, and I went througha whole bucket of rings in an attempt to land one on the top of a bottle, with no luck. I did win at a basketball game, although only because the gracious game operator was giving out unlimited tries!
For the locals, the event was a novelty because most of us haven't been to Elich's in years. Most of the Colorado people we asked mused, "Yeah, I can't remember the last time I was here."
Visiting media seemed to enjoy the experience as well. I talked to a reporter from DC who said, "I can't believe you have an amusement park right downtown! This is awesome!" I guess we Denverites take it for granted, but apparently it is the only amusement park in North America that is in a downtown area.
And now that the fun is over, let the reporting begin ....