John Hickenlooper Day in Middletown

It began at a fundraising breakfast held at O'Rourkes.

Wesleyan grad, former Middletown resident, current mayor of Denver, and Democratic candidate for governor of Colorado, John Hickenlooper was all over town Sunday.

Hickenlooper received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, and his commencement address was filled with hard won wisdom and humorous, but insightful anecdote (his speech likely came in second as crowd-favorite, as the hip-hop, slam-style beginning-of-the-road speech by Senior Latasha Alcindor had grads and parents in tears as the leapt to their feet to cheer her).  Hickenlooper's story of his ascent from out-of-work geologist, to brew-pub baron to unlikely candidate was capped with his grandfather's reflection on politics.

"Politics is just Hollywood for ugly people," Hick's grandad mused.

On Sunday afternoon, the day after winning his state's nomination as the Democratic candidate for governor, at yet another fundraiser, this one at the home of Jennifer Alexander and Mark Masselli, Hickenlooper was presented a plaque from the city, by Councilman Vinnie Loffredo, declaring Sunday John Hickenlooper Day in Middletown.