Tour De Fat: Have Fun and Party “Green”

Edited by Jennifer L. Price

What is better in the summer than biking, beer, outdoor entertainment, and saving the environment?  On July 7, the New Belgium Brewing Company began a 12-city party called the Tour de Fat that combines all three.

The idea of the Tour de Fat came about seven years ago in Ft. Collins, Colorado to increase awareness and participation in cycling as the sustainable transportation alternative.  Communities across the West have been brought together with fanciful entertainment, contests, art displays and, of course, New Belgium beer.  Last year Tour de Fat traveled to 11 cities, attracted more than 31,000 people and raised more than $166,000.  It has become a great tradition for bike enthusiasts, charities and bon vivants of every kind.

"Tour de Fat is unlike anything cites along the route have ever seen before," said Chris Winn, Tour de Fat's coordinator and event evangelist.  "People and bikes parade around decorated in outrageous costumes, great musicians take to the solar-powered stage, and fascinating performers entertain with creative antics, all while we raise money for local organizations that support the two-wheeled lifestyle."

Tour de Fat is free to participants, but money spent on beer and New Belgium Brewing groovy goods goes towards local charities.  The philanthropic cycling circus helped more than 20 non-profit organizations in 2006.

In addition to raising green for local charities Tour de Fat supports "green" initiatives.  Consistent to New Belgium Brewing's commitment to environmental sustainability, Tour de Fat seeks to leave as small an environmental imprint as possible.

New to TDF this year:

One volunteer in each city will commit to live car-free for one year, as part of the Car-for-Bike Trade Program.  The dedicated individual will sign over their car title and in exchange get a custom-fitted New Belgium commuter bike.  The selected volunteer will chronicle the trials and triumphs along their car-free journey.  The volunteer is chosen after submitting a video or letter describing themself and their desire to live car-free.

At the Carbon e-Racer Kiosk participants can see how much they will help the environment by making a commitment to join Team Wonderbike.  Team Wonderbike members promise to commute by bike at least once a month for a year.

Other annual sustainable gestures include:

• The Tour de Fat crew traveling on B100 biodiesel fuel.

• Bands play from solar-powered stages that are transported in solar-powered trailers to keep the energy flowing.

• Volunteers and staff help compost and recycle waste from each tour stop, resulting in an overall waste diversion rate of 85% in 2006.  The waste diversion rate goal for 2007 is 95%.

Tour de Fat will be making its way to these cities:
July 7:        Denver, CO
July 21:      San Francisco, CA
July 28:      Truckee, CA
Aug. 11:     Seattle, WA
Aug. 18 :    Portland, OR
Aug. 25:     Boise, ID
Sept. 1:      Missoula, MT
Sept. 15:    Durango, CO
Sept. 22:    Ft. Collins, CO
Oct. 6:       Flagstaff, AZ
Oct. 13:     Tempe, AZ
Oct. 20:     Austin, TX

For more information on Tour de Fat, please visit http://www.newbelgium.com/.  To see a video montage of previous Tour de Fat stops log onto http://www.followyourfolly.com/folly_tour_de_fat.html.