Tour de Fat

For those who haven’t experienced Tour de Fat, it is a thrilling rite of passage that includes an unparalleled costumed bicycle parade, New Belgium beer, eccentric entertainment, local food, unusual bike contests and much more. The free event, which raises money for local cycling nonprofits and advocacy through beer and merchandise purchases, will soon exceed the $2 million mark for total funds raised.

The pinnacle of Tour de Fat is the ceremonious car-for-bike swap. At each of the 15 Tour de Fat stops, one person will become the center of the show as he or she gets up on stage, hands over their car keys, and pledges to live one year car-free. Each car-for-bike swapper will choose a local bike shop to help turn a $2,250 budget into an ultimate car-replacement commuter bike. Vehicles for Charity will auction the cars, with proceeds.

A few tidbits about Tour de Fat

  • Start sewing, collecting and dreaming up something to wear as Tour de Fat encourages embracing your inner costume-loving self. Come dressed up to help put on the most colorful, respectful and creative bike parade ever witnessed.
  • Tour de Fat seeks to leave as small an environmental imprint as possible and composts and recycles waste. Bring only what you need and watch for proper receptacles. We’ll do the rest!
  • All performers grab your attention from alternatively empowered stages decked out in recycled materials; trucks and transport use biofuel sourced from recycled waste oils; and all vendors operate off the grid.
  • This is a pro-bike celebration, not an anti-car rally. Non-cyclists are more than welcome to join the festivities.
  • In 2011, Tour de Fat traveled to 13 cities, attracting a total of 69,550 festival attendees and 41,150 parade cyclists.  It also raised $401,563 and boasted an impressive 90 percent diversion of waste from landfills.

Alcohol Responsibility

Promoting beer culture and the responsible enjoyment of beer has been a core value at New Belgium since our inception. As a maker of finely crafted beers we have always emphasized the quality and unique sensory experience of each beer.  We take our tours and our tasters on a fanciful journey to a world of beers where beauty, aroma, and flavor are magically mixed and matched. Speaking of matching, did you know that beer can be tastefully combined with food as a complementary beverage and cooking ingredient? You can learn more about food pairings under each of our beers in the beer section.   As co-captains of the craft brew mothership we feel responsible for making a journey to the center of the beer world one that is both taste bud tickling and safe.  Therefore, at events hosted by New Belgium all of our staff and volunteers are TIPS trained and certified. TIPS is a nationally accredited program for serving alcohol responsibly. ‘Promoting beer culture’ at New Belgium means advocating for the responsible enjoyment of a product that has enriched human culture for millennia.  In short, be smart about drinking our beer.  Savor the Flavor, and enjoy in good company!

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