New Belgium’s Tour de Fat, a traveling celebration of all things bike, is returning to Durham Saturday, June 25. Tour de Fat will take place in Diamond View Park offering a day of eclectic entertainment, a costumed bike ride, a gameshow, car-for-bike swap, fashion showdown, great music, and of course plenty of New Belgium beer. The event is free, yet all donations and proceeds from beer and merchandise sales will go to Durham-area non-profits.
Swap your car for a $2,250 Bike!
New Belgium is once again on the hunt for a lucky swapper willing to trade in four wheels for two and commit to using a bike as their sole means of transportation. Each swapper is awarded a stipend to buy his or her own commuter bike. Potential swappers just need to submit a video explaining why they have what to takes to go car-free and what the new lifestyle would mean to them.
“Now that the doors to our second facility are open in Asheville, we can’t wait to bring Tour de Fat to our second home state and party it down in Durham,” said Matt Kowal, New Belgium Brewing’s Tour de Fat Impresario. “New Belgium celebrates 25 years this year. To me, more than anything, that means 25 years of Fat Tire shining like a rainbow over a waterfall of ho-hummity. Emblazoned with a red cruiser bicycle, Fat Tire speaks to the inspiration of our company, our founding beers, and our ethos of balance. And so it was and so it continues to inspire us all, let’s celebrate! Whether you ride your bike down or ride one of our mutant bikes around, we will have a bash and raise some cash for bike-orgs that work hard for you all year!”
The main stage in Durham will feature Anders Osborne, a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, who blends funk, classic R&B, blues and soul. Playing before Anders will be Dark Water Rising, a band which describes itself as having a “rocky soul”. Its inspiration ranges from Aretha Franklin and the BeeGees, to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Michael Jackson. Two other stages, Sputnik mobile stage and Le Tigre Grande, will offer all-day entertainment featuring comedy, spectacle, and interactive happenings.
Everyone 21 and older will be able to sample new and classic favorites from New Belgium, including the brewery’s flagship brew, Fat Tire, New Belgium’s latest year-round offering, Citradelic Tangerine IPA, along with more esoteric beers from its Lips of Faith series. It’s also the only place to enjoy Carnie Blood, a beer made in honor of the Tour de Fat Carnies that make this tour possible every year. Carnie Blood Vol. 3 is an Imperial Stout brewed with two single-origin cocoas and chicory.
As for the fundraising, the entire 2015 season raised more than $647,668, with the Durham event rolling in $29,559. This year, all funds raised in Durham will go to Bike Walk NC, Triangle Spokes Group and Durham Bike Co-op.
