August 2-5, 2007: Yearly Kos II

Anyone else going to the second annual Yearly Kos Convention at McCormick Place on Chicago's lakefront? We've registered, reserved our hotel room and bought our airline tickets. Slots are filling up fast. In fact, the event's room block at the Hyatt next to the convention center has sold out. A second room block, at the Michigan Avenue Hilton Hotel, has just opened. Sounds like this year's YK will be even better than the first gathering in Las Vegas last year, which we regretfully had to miss. We're not missing it this year! After all, I was born and raised in Chicago and haven't seen it in more than 5 years.

Already confirmed for Saturday's Dem presidential candidate forum: Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Barack Obama, and our own Gov. Bill Richardson. Matt Bai, writer for The New York Times Magazine and author of a book on Democratic politics to be released in August, and Joan McCarter, contributing editor at Daily Kos, will moderate. Author and blogger Dr. Jeffrey Feldman will facilitate questions from convention attendees and those submitted in advance from tens of thousands of blog readers.

Just announced: Howard Dean will be the keynote speaker at Thursday evening's kickoff event. Markos and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) will provide the welcoming remarks that night. A reception will be held afterwards. Wesley Clark has also confirmed he'll be the keynote speaker on Friday morning.

In addition to the forum, the conference will include panels and caucuses led by national and international experts; prominent nationally recognized political, issue and policy-oriented speakers; a progressive film screening series; and the most concentrated gathering of high-profile progressive bloggers to date

Yearly Kos is entirely organized by volunteers who came up with the idea on their own last year. They had no idea how large and influential it would become. For more information or to register, visit the Yearly Kos Convention website.