The West has a unique culture that has been passed down through the generations. Even though farmlands have given way to sprawling suburbs and exurbs, the West is still a place where traditions hold strong.

This week, the National Western Stock Show returns to Denver. It is tradition that on the Tuesday before the show begins, the residents of Denver are treated to a parade that begins with longhorns, followed by horses and carriages and lots and lots of pageantry. With Gov. Bill Ritter commanding a horse, the longhorns set out down 17th street.

Kept in check by a team of cowboys, the massive beasts were corralled in a small scale cattle drive — right through downtown Denver. I’ve never witnessed anything like this before, and this parade really taught me something about the West. Even though the city skyline may have changed over the years, talking with individuals along the parade route, there is still a cowboy culture that lives on.

When the 2008 Democratic National Convention begins in August, chances are there won’t be any longhorn parades, but throughout our planning of the Convention, we have learned about the West and what makes it so unique and so colorful. The idea of having the Convention in the West is to show that Democrats are committed to Western values. And events like the National Western Stock Show give the Democratic National Convention Committee the opportunity to experience firsthand one of the oldest and most celebrated traditions in Colorado and the West.

Check out our photos from the National Western Stock Show parade.  Check out the video from the parade and we’ll have some more behind-the-scenes video from the DNCC. We’re looking forward to participating in the National Western Stock Show and its first-ever donkey mascot contest for the Convention, so check back at the blog to see what we’re up to.

 See all of our photos here: