New Belgium’s Tour de Fat Reaches the Million Dollar Milestone in Money Raised for Non-Profit Organizations
Tour de Fat 2008 Helped 24 Non-Profit Organizations; Hosted More than 15,000 Bike Parade Riders; and Swapped 11 Cars for Bicycles Through the Car-for-Bike Swap 

Tour de Fat, New Belgium Brewing’s traveling celebration of all things bicycle, has passed the $1 million mark in money raised for non-profit organizations.  The eleven 2008 Tour de Fat stops raised more than $250,000, making the grand total $1,015,196 for the nine years of the cycling circus.  Tour de Fat spreads the good word about the myriad benefits of cycling, while promoting sustainability and folly.  

“The cycling celebration we’ve created has turned into a movement to get people to pedal more, drive less and help out our non-profit friends,” said Chris Winn, Tour de Fat’s coordinator and event evangelist.  “This year we had more bike parade participants than ever before and more than 1.5 million miles pledged through Team Wonderbike.  We are witnessing a nationwide paradigm shift, with people now looking at the bike as a transportation alternative in addition to everyone’s favorite form of recreation.”

Tour de Fat includes costumed bike parades, non-stop crowd-pleasing entertainment, contests of bicycle skill and precision (e.g. the “Slow-Down or Throw-Down” competition) and rideable art bikes.  Tour de Fat also includes car-for-bike swappers, who commit to live car free for a year.  In exchange for their vehicle, the Car-for-Bike Trade participants receive a hand-built commuter bike.  By pledging to bike instead of driving, the volunteers commit to pedaling to work, pedaling out to dinner and even pedaling to get groceries.  To see the Car-for-Bike Trade ceremonies from Tour de Fat stops and read and watch the swapper applications, go to Tour-de-fat.com .

“This was our second year for the car-for-bike swap and it’s always a kick to see the enthusiasm our swappers have about turning over the keys and starting a new journey on a bike,” continued Winn.  “They all have incredible stories and serve as an inspiration.”

To help spread the bicycling culture, Tour de Fat’s Team Wonderlounge offers a place to sign up for Team Wonderbike New Belgium’s bicycling commuter advocacy program, where people pledge to commute by bike as often as possible.  At the 2008 Tour de Fat stops, bikers pledged not to drive 1.49 million miles in the next twelve months.        

Tour de Fat is free to participants, but beer and merchandise proceeds go to local cycling non-profits. This philanthropic cycling circus has helped dozens of non-profit organizations since 2000 and has now raised more than $1 million.   In addition to raising money, Tour de Fat seeks to leave as small an environmental imprint as possible and composts and recycles waste from each tour stop.  Tour de Fat 2008 had a waste diversion rate of 91 percent, up from last year’s rate of 83 percent.  Tour de Fat also tours with a solar-powered stage for musical acts, uses biofuel that is sourced from recycled waste oils for trucks and transport, and has all vendors operate off the grid.

“It was another record-breaking year and magnificent to see so many people come out to support the best invention on earth, and learn about more ways we all can all make a difference,” said Winn.  “We look forward to next year, but until then, enjoy the winter and don’t stop pedaling!”

Chris Winn, Tour de Fat’s coordinator was a featured guest on ‘Champagne Sundays’ Radio show, that aired live on August 10, 2008.  To listen to the entire, unedited show, please click here. To listen to the interview with Chris, please double click on the Play Button below.

To see videos from the Tour de Fat stops and to read blog postings from the journey this year, check out www.tour-de-fat.com .  For more information on New Belgium Brewing visit http://www.newbelgium.com /.