Chris "Birdman" Andersen accepting his award (img: SamPotts.com)

A bevy of beauties and ballers gathered at the historic Denver Press Club Saturday night to attend 303 Magazine’s Second Annual Awards Ceremony. Denver’s fashion elite braved the cold in order to celebrate and honor the recipients of this year’s awards. Fashion-goers strutted down the red carpet donning new celebratory heels; designers and artists were adorned in signature tattoos and ties. And let’s face it, only in Denver can a gal sport a mini-skirt and over-sized winter coat on the red carpet and still look fabulously fierce.

img: SamPotts.com

And the parking ticket goes to…

What better way to kick off an awards ceremony than to ticket one of its recipients?

The Mini, the ticket, the Tribe (img: SamPotts.com)

The award for Ad Campaign of the Year went to Schomp Mini for their sleek, sophisticated ad design. As part of the festivities, the ultra-urban Mini was displayed outside the Press Club making its appearance right next to the red carpet—parked on the sidewalk.  Not even the Mini could escape the ticket-happy claws of the Denver Police Department who were quick to write the vehicle up for obstructing a pedestrian walkway. But did that put a damper on the celebration? Oh, hell no. Not only did the vehicle stay parked on the sidewalk, but the crew from Tribe Tattoo started yelling obscenities at the cop, apparently in an effort to dissuade him from ticketing the Mini. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s not the best way to get out of a ticket, but hey, po-tay-to, po-tah-to, right?

Chris “Birdman” Andersen received 303’s first ever Person of the Year Award for his work not just in sports but for his charitable contributions to the community. During his acceptance speech, he said that it’s really about “giving back to the kids who need the inspiration.”

Birdman & cage fighter Lumumba Sayers (img: SamPotts.com)

Andersen was nothing short of what you’d expect from someone who was just awarded person of the year: casual, confident, and collected. As everyone else gallivanted in 3-piece suits with a whiskey neat, Andersen strolled through the celebration in true Birdman form—sportin’ plaid flannel and his infamous Mohawk. “[It] feels great to be part of the fashion industry now,” he said.

She was everybody’s favorite drag queen on RuPaul’s Drag Race: Denver’s own darling diva, Nina Flowers. Although she couldn’t be at the ceremony to accept the award for her contributions to Denver fashion, she did, however, make an appearance via video. Sashaying her way right into the camera, she thanked Denver and 303 for their continued support, and concluded with this: “Carry on and bring it!”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Female Model of the Year: Ashley Leroy

Local Designer of the Year: Mondo Guerra

Odd Job of the Year: Dominatrix Mistress May

303 Style of the Year: Zoë Cullie

Q&A Interview of the Year: Cage Fighter Lumumba Sayers

Male Model of the Year: Tom Firth

Salon of the Year: The Parlour

Artist of the Year: Ravi Zupa

Boutique of the Year: Garbarini

Makeup Artist of the Year: Walter Ramos

Band of the Year: Snake Rattle Rattle Snake

Venue of the Year: Exdo Event Center

Restaurant of the Year: El Diablo

Fiction Story of the Year: The Taking, Kristin Painter

303 Awards: Steven Trujillo, Donna Baldwin, David Raccuglia, Tran Willis