Want even more than killer speakers and engaging workshops? No problem. Beyond the slew of impromptu mixers, we have three official, totally kick-ass sponsored evening events for you to get your Interaction geek on:

opening party

Thursday, Feb 10
6:00 – 10:00pm
The Boulder Theater, 2032 14th Street

IxDA and the fine folks from EffectiveUI and Adobe kick off the conference with an experience-expanding opening night party at the historic Boulder Theater. After you wrap up the last session of the day, fast-track it over to the theater where America's Top Chef, Hosea Rosenberg, and his StrEAT Chefs team will transport you from the alleyways of Bangkok to sand pits on the beaches of Mexico with street food from across the globe. Want to get a true StrEAT experience? Grab a bite from the StrEAT Chef Airstream trailer outside the theater entrance. Inside, you can sample more international fare and chill at the liquid nitrogen dessert table while you soak in the sounds of DJ Eddie B. spinning 60s vinyl and an indie-electro/dance rock set from Cristian Whitney.

Looking for some serious swag? Adobe will be giving away software suites throughout the evening — you just need to be present to win. Giveaways include four Creative Suite 5 Premium Suites, and one Creative Suite 5 Master Collection!

Don't miss an electrifying live performance from Denver's hottest new indie-rock band Snake Rattle Rattle Snake. Crowned Westword's Best New Band in 2010, music critic Tom Murphy says the band's "atmospheric music with a grounding in dance rhythms make it an inspiringly compelling live act." Who knows ... we may even get a sneak peek of some songs from their upcoming new release before it hits the streets.

You'll need your badge & picture ID to attend.

networking reception

Friday, Feb 11
5:00 - 7:00pm
Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th Street

IxDA and creative industry giant Coroflot invite you to a rockin' cocktail reception dedicated to a central theme of the annual Interaction conference: in-person networking. The Coroflot Connects party is designed to connect you with firms who want to meet you, the world's top talent. Hey, it's chill, leave your resume behind and bring a handful of business cards instead. Come and enjoy drinks and hors d'oeuvres....See who's there, introduce yourself, talk about why you love interaction design, what you aspire to, and you may just find opportunities that surprise you.

If you're not looking for a job yourself, but instead are seeking talent at your own firm or agency, please come and add to the mix -- other conference attendees may well want to meet you. We'll have the official conference job board magically transported to the Boulderado just for this event.

closing party

Saturday, Feb 12
7:00 pm – 1:30 am
Absinthe House, 1109 Walnut St

IxDA and Microsoft invite you to celebrate the last night of Interaction '11 with a blow-out conference closing party at the historic Boulder Absinthe House.

A delicious dinner buffet of European bistro fare to delight every palate will be laid out to compliment beer, wine, and the largest selection of genuine Absinthe of any bar in North America. Yes, this is ~real absinth (which was legalized in 2007) and has historically been the drink of choice for artists, writers, and poets. Let's follow their example and try to catch sight of the elusive green fairy!

Enjoy a night of dancing, playing, and exploring::

• Dance and cut-loose to indie-electro/dance rock from DJ Ricard
• Play exciting new games in the VIP room with XBOX Kinect
• Explore Touchsmart and Windows Phone demos from our platinum sponsor, Microsoft
• Capture the mayhem with old and new friends in the fully prop-stocked photo booth

You’ll need your badge & picture ID to attend. Dress snazzy as we’ll be capturing the fun with a photo booth and have a coat check on hand so you don’t have to be hidden under a down coat.