Lawmakers will do plenty of debating and backstabbing in the four months that follow the Jan. 11 kickoff for the next legislative session. Over the next two weeks, they will make their case to the public.

The Capitol press corps, and anyone else who wants to attend, will hear from top interest groups on both sides of the major issues, next Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 2 p.m. in the Old Supreme Court Chambers on the second floor of the state Capitol.

Speakers will lay out their legislative priorities and concerns, respectively, on transportation, energy development, the environment, taxes, jobs and social programs. The hour-long talk should arm reporters and others to question lawmakers in the days and weeks ahead.

That evening incoming House Speaker Crisanta Duran, a Democrat from Denver, is hosting a “celebration” on the 14th floor of DaVita World Headquarters at 2000 16th St., according to a public Facebook post Wednesday.

“Let’s kick off 2017 right with a celebration of friends, family and community!” the post states. “We have a lot to be grateful for but also recognize that we have much more to do to address the issues hard-working Coloradans deal with everyday. We invite you to continue engaging in the political process to ensure we don’t take any Coloradans for granted and don’t leave anyone behind.”

The event is schedule from 5:30 to 8 p.m. It’s sure to attract top Democrats. For breakfast the next morning, tickets are still available for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Colorado Competitive Council’s Business Legislative Preview at the Hyatt Regency at the Colorado Convention Center.

The Denver Business Journal helps put on the annual breakfast to hear from legislative leaders in both chambers, and reporter Ed Sealover moderates it with style. The chamber breakfast starts at 7 a.m.

The website ChalkBeat Colorado also has coffee and a light breakfast planned on Jan. 5 at 7:30. From 8 to 9:30 a.m. Senate Education Committee chairman Owen Hill. R-Colorado Springs, and House Education Committee chairwoman Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood, will lead a panel. They will be joined by Rep. Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, member of the Joint Budget Committee, and Sen. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora, a member of the Senate Education Committee.The talk is in the Terrace Room in the Lawrence Street Center at the University of Colorado Denver at 1380 Lawrence St. in Denver. The $15 tickets are available online.

That afternoon in Colorado Springs from 4 to 6, the Colorado Springs Chamber and Economic Development Corp. will hear from area legislators at the Antlers Hotel downtown.

Sen. Bob Gardner and Reps. Terri Carver, Pete Lee, Larry Liston, Dan Nordberg and Dave Williams will talk about legislative issues. Lee is the only Democrat. The event is free for chamber members and $10 for non-members.  Registration is required.

ColoradoPolitics.com is collaborating, and yours truly will ask a few questions. I’ve been known to crack a joke, so wear your thick skins, legislators.

Jan. 10, the night before the session gavels in, Rep. Clarice Navarro, R-Pueblo, will host her fifth annual Legislative Kickoff Party, The meet-and-greet is at Cap City Tavern at 1247 Bannock St. from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 each and include light appetizers. Those who plan to go should e-mail tscott@swspolifi.com.

Navarro promises “an evening where your party affiliation simply doesn’t matter.” We won’t see another one of those until the May flowers bloom, when the session is over.