New Belgium Brewing’s Tour de Fat returns to Boston this summer for a second-straight year of whimsical fun that brings together bikes, beer, music and more all in a single celebratory day. What’s more, proceeds from the event flow to the Bike Union — which means you can revel with fellow cyclists and partygoers while directly supporting the cause of safer streets and increased ridership throughout our community.

No other festival can lay claim to such a perfect pairing of philanthropy and fun. We hope you’ll join us at City Hall Plaza on August 11th. Admission is a measly $15 — or free for all volunteers (more on that below) — so get your tickets today!

Tour de Fat Boston
Saturday, August 11th
12 p.m.  – 5 p.m.
City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA 02114

GET TICKETS HERE

Need more convincing? Or do you still not know what, exactly, Tour de Fat means or entails? We’ve got you covered.

Now in it’s 19th year, Tour de Fat offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to get weird and have fun while raising money for local bike non-profits. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $5 million for bike organizations across the U.S., including the Boston Cyclists Union.

Part circus, part concert, the event celebrates the weirder side of bike culture in a carnivalesque atmosphere full of games, performances and, of course, beer. (New Belgium Brewing launched and hosts Tour de Fat, after all.) Attendees are encouraged to come in costumes, and can take part in challenges like a dance off and the Slow Roll, in which cyclists compete to cross a finish line last — without tumbling off their bikes. For those who prefer to stand and gawk, magicians, musicians, comedians, and Vaudeville acts will perform throughout the day, capped by headlining act The Voidz, an acclaimed rock band fronted by Julian Casablancas of The Strokes.

Now about that name. “What the heck does ‘fat’ have to do with any of this?” you may be wondering. Good question! It’s a reference to New Belgium’s flagship beer, Fat Tire, which itself has deep ties to cycling. One of the brewery’s co-founders named the beer in honor of a Belgian bike trip at a time when mountain bikes were still commonly referred to as “fat tire” bikes. Oh how times and definitions have changed.

So to recap: Biking inspired a beer, which inspired a festival celebrating bikes and beer, which now raises millions of dollars to support biking in bike- and beer-loving cities like Boston. It’s a cyclical thing.

Boston is one of only six cities fortunate to host Tour de Fat in 2018, and the Bike Union is excited to once again partner with New Belgium in putting on this truly unique festival. As the partnering organization, we’re aiming to enlist an army of volunteers to handle a range of tasks, like setting up and doling out wristbands, in short shifts throughout the day. All volunteers receive free admission and a free post-shift beer. For more info, and to enlist, head here.

So get your tickets and tell your friends. Consider signing up for a volunteer slot to help us make this year’s event an even bigger success than last year’s iteration. We hope to see you all on Aug. 11th celebrating the joy and power of the humble bicycle.