The Mile High’s Do303 launch party

New company curates top events

Summit Music Hall hosted a night brimming with free food, live music, and some of the best businesses Denver and Boulder have to offer. Tables lined the walls of the music hall with people proudly representing their restaurants, boutiques, cannabis shops, and even barber shops. All the businesses that attended this event were local and of the best that Denver and Boulder could offer. There was free food provided by Choice Market, a convenience store that proudly carries fresh produce and meals along with everyday necessities. Voodoo Doughnuts Mile High, located on Colfax Avenue, provided an entire wall of doughnuts that were red, white, and blue, with a giant doughnut in the middle decorated as the Colorado state flag.

In 2009, Jimmy Stewart and Scott Owens started the company DoStuff Media. Their goal was to help people find local events through curated listings and guides with the best parties and shows. Their company took off and now holds enterprises and events in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco, among others. On Saturday, March 3, DoStuff Media held its first free launch party in Denver, dubbed the Do303 Launch Party.

But of course, a 303-launch party wouldn’t be complete without what Colorado is known for: some good ol’ Mary Jane. Willie’s Reserve is the singer Willie Nelson’s ‘secret stash’, an ode to high quality cannabis. “All his cannabis comes from local, independent farmers, so it’s a small batch,” Nicole Kennebeck, a Willie’s Reserve representative at the launch party, said. “Annie, his wife, made edibles for him for 30 years. Edibles helped Willie stop smoking cigarettes. The point of Willie’s is that he brings the secret stash right to you.”

Tres Shannon, one of the original founders of Voodoo Doughnuts, introduced the first musical act of the night, Brent Cowles. “I’m not entirely sure why I was chosen to introduce the band tonight, but it was pretty sweet to do so. People in Colorado are just accepting, they’re like, ‘Yeah! Let’s have the doughnut guy from Oregon introduce the first performance,’” Shannon said. “I was down. I’m kind of self conscious to be wearing a Broncos Jersey—I’m not a jersey-wearing dude, you know? But hey, I want to embrace Denver fully.”

Cowles hails from Colorado Springs and is a solo artist whose music stems from blues, soul, rock, and pop. He was accompanied by two singers who also played electric guitar and bass. His music was simplistic with a relaxed sound to the melodies. Being the first performer of the night, it was fitting that the event opened with a more composed artist, as the music and the performances got more upbeat as the show went on. There were many other performers including The Handsome Little Devils, a theatrical circus act, and Itchy-O Marching Band, a local avant-garde experimental music group.

“Doing a Do303 event was a no-brainer because there are so many great shops and restaurants and just things in general to do in Denver,” Will Dupree, an attendee, said.

Do303 aims to connect Denver and Boulder locals with the best music, food, drink, concerts, and nightlife events while engaging locals that serve the best things to do each day of the week.

“We want to make it easy for people to find out about concerts, happy hours, comedy, and other events with one easy click,” Brian Schwartz, a partner of DoStuff Media, said. “We live in one of the best markets in the country and we look forward to Do303 becoming a big part of this community.”