1. Do not bring alcohol to the bike parade or the festival.  It's illegal and may jeopordize future events. 
   
2. Bicycling is not so pretty if you have had too much to drink.  Know your limit and ride responsibly.  It's ok to walk your bike, if you need to. 
   
3. No doggies, they won't have fun. 
   
4. Be mindful of all road users, that is, other bicyclists, cars, and pedestrians.  Practice mutual respect, patience, and courtesy. 
   
5. Drink lots of water throughout the day and eat food.
   
6. Volunteer with Bike Fort Collins, the Bike Co-op, or Overland Mountain Bike Club at the event.  Just a few hours of your time will help a lot.. 
   
7. Pay your $5 if you ride in the parade, park your bike at the bike valet, and partake responsibly with refreshments on display.  
8. Dress up and make sure your cape doesn't get stuck in your spokes. 
   
9. Wear sunscreen.
10. Keep a close eye on your children and your friends. 
    

New Belgium Brewing’s Tour de Fat
Rolls into Ft. Collins on September 4

Come ride, dance and experience the ultimate freedom: trading your car for a bike!

Ft. Collins, CO, August XX, 2010 – Clip a card in your spokes and fluff the rainbow wig …Tour de Fat is back for its 11th season! New Belgium Brewing’s traveling celebration of all things bicycle rolls through 13 cities this year, raising money and sharing bike love. Tour de Fat is coming home to “The Mothership” (aka New Belgium Brewing) on September 4 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

For the fourth year in a row, Tour de Fat is looking for volunteers to accept the swapper challenge. One volunteer in each city will give up their car and receive a hand-built Black Sheep (http://www.blacksheepbikes.com/) commuter bike. The volunteer is chosen after submitting a video or essay describing their desire to live sans-car for a year.  To submit an application, log on to http://www.newbelgium.com/tour-de-fat.

“The car-for-bike swap is the pinnacle of the day, illustrating one person’s true belief in all that a bicycle can offer,” said Bryan Simpson, spokesman for New Belgium. “Bikes represent freedom, fun and fitness while helping the environment. It’s a way of life that we live and share at New Belgium.”

Tour de Fat is free to participants, but beer and merchandise proceeds from the Ft. Collins stop will go to Overland Mountain Bike Club (www.overlandmtb.org), Bike Fort Collins (www.bikefortcollins.org/) and Fort Collins Bike Co-op (www.fcbikecoop.org).  Since its inception, the philanthropic cycling circus has raised more than $1 million on behalf of non-profit organizations. 

“When Fort Collins finally receives Platinum level bicycle friendly community status, it will be thanks to the efforts of businesses like New Belgium Brewing,” said Rick Price of Fort Collins Bike Co-op.  “The Bike Co-op is grateful for the support of New Belgium and its commitment to making things happen on two wheels - keeping recycled bikes out of the landfill, putting the less fortunate on Earn-a-Bikes, donating bikes to kids and just keeping people pedaling!”

“Tour de Fat and New Belgium Brewing are two of the best things that have ever happened to Fort Collins, Colorado,” said Jeff Morrell, president of Bike Fort Collins. “New Belgium's outreach to the cycling community through local non-profits allows us to further our bicycling advocacy work for the cyclists of Fort Collins and northern Colorado.”

“The Tour De Fat is the best fundraising bike celebration imaginable,” added Ron Chambers, president of Overland Bike Club. “Besides being a great opportunity to volunteer in the community, the money we raise allows us to introduce 150 kids a year to mountain biking and provide bikes and helmets for some of those who don’t have them. We are also able to develop local trails and assist other community bikes rides with the proceeds.”

What:              New Belgium Brewing’s Tour de Fat

When:             Saturday, September 4, 2010

Where:            The Mothership (New Belgium Brewing)

Tentative Schedule:

9:00 a.m.         Bike Parade Registration

10:00 a.m.      Bike Parade Launch

11:00 a.m.       Performances Begin

12:20 p.m.       The SLOW RIDE

1:30 p.m.       The Great Bike Story Contest for New Belgium Cruiser Bike

2:35 p.m.         Car-for-Bike Trade Celebration

3:50 p.m.         Faux Finale

3:55 p.m.         Faux-Real Finale

4:00 p.m.         Curtain Closes

Acts:
MUCCA PAZZA (http://mucca-pazza.org/)
The Dovekins (http://www.myspace.com/dovekins)
A Honeymoon Cabaret (http://www.daredevilchicken.com/honeymoon.html)
Rob Williams  (http://www.robsho.com/)

Ben Sollee (http://www.bensollee.com/)
Paper Bird (http://www.paperbirdband.com/)
Judith Avers (http://www.judithavers.com/)

Benefitting:   Overland Mountain Bike Club, Bike Fort Collins and
Fort Collins Bike Co-op

Sustainable Support: Zero Hero (www.zeroheroevents.com)

Why Tour de Fat is a Must-Attend Event:

• Tour de Fat encourages everyone to embrace their inner-cyclist and ride the streets as a cohesive carnival of creativity. Each show begins with a costumed bike parade that stops traffic and turns heads along the way.  (Costumes are highly encouraged!)

• Tour de Fat seeks to leave as small an environmental imprint as possible and composts and recycles waste from each tour stop.  The waste diversion rate for 2009 was 94 percent.

• Tour de Fat is free to participants, but beer and merchandise proceeds go to local cycling non-profits. Since its inception, Tour de Fat events have raised more than $1.25 million for philanthropy.   

• All musical acts perform on a solar-powered stage with decorations made from 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.
  
  

###