With an estimated 500,000 attending over Labor Day Weekend, A Taste of Colorado is back in 2010 with another impressive array of visual and performing arts, educational programs and culinary treats. BikeDenver provides and operates the festival’s bike parking corral, and we’ve been moved to a new location this year between the Denver Art Museum and the back entrance to the Public Library. Access the corral via 13th street. Leave your car behind and park your bike in our secure corral while you enjoy the festival! Got a few hours to spare? We need to fill 42 volunteer shifts to staff this three-day event. JOIN THE VOLUNTEER TEAM HERE.

Bike Parking Hours

Saturday and Sunday 10:30 am to 10:00 pm.
Monday 10:30 am to 8:00 pm.

Bike Corral Location
Between Denver Art Museum and the Public Library, access from 13th Ave.

Bicycle parking is free, but a $1 or $2 donation to BikeDenver is suggested.

Did you know we’ll park just about anything that isn’t human and doesn’t have a motor? What you can park: Bikes, skateboards, trailers, coolers, lawn chairs, wheelchairs. What you can’t: Scooters, motorcycles, kids or in-laws

Don’t have a bike? Consider using B-cycle. There are four B-cycle stations within one block of the event perimeter. Visit denver.bcycle.com for more information.

For more information on A Taste of Colorado transportation options see the event website here.

BikeDenver’s Bike Parking Season is sponsored by: Denver Zoo

When you support Denver Zoo, you support wildlife preservation everywhere. Denver Zoo is actively involved in animal conservation efforts. Since 1994, Denver Zoo has participated in 526 projects in 55 countries. Learn more at denverzoo.org.

Preservation included with admission.

Need more info?

For more information, contact bikeparking@bikedenver.org

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

!!! Click here to Volunteer for Tour de Fat !!!

Ft. Collins, CO, August 23, 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 to Denver’s City Park on September 11 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 Denver stop go to support grassroots bicycle advocacy. Since its inception, the philanthropic cycling circus has raised more than $1 million on behalf of non-profit organizations.

“At BikeDenver, we promote and encourage bicycling in Denver and work to make it a better place to ride,” said Piep van Heuven of BikeDenver. “Take it from us, Tour de Fat is the FUNniest FUNdraiser of the year, and event proceeds will help fund BikeDenver programs and advocacy efforts that improve policy and infrastructure for you and your bicycle.”

“As this year’s Official Parade Marshall in Denver, the minds behind the Denver Cruiser Ride have spent numerous sleepless nights planning an amazing parade route that will take participants through parts of town that rarely see any bicycle action,” said Brad K. Evans, fearless leader of the Denver Cruiser Ride. “We’ve literally turned the route upside-down from years past. We considered each turn and curve on the route through the streets of downtown to maximize each parader’s experience, creating an organized, safe and interesting route which leads right back to the pearly gates of the wonderful and fun Tour De Fat event at City Park.”

What: New Belgium Brewing’s Tour de Fat

When: Saturday, September 11, 2010

Where: City Park: West Side

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:
The Dovekins (http://www.myspace.com/dovekins)
A Honeymoon Cabaret (http://www.daredevilchicken.com/honeymoon.html)
The California Honeydrops (www.cahoneydrops.com)
Scot Nery (www.jugglegood.com)
Americaine: Stupide

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.
  
  

See http://www.newbelgium.com/tour-de-fat for the Tour de Fat credo, schedules, videos and to submit your entry to swap your gas guzzler for a shiny new bicycle. Also visit our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Belgium-Tour-de-Fat/10150099069050417?ref=ts.

Tour de Fat 2010 will cycle through each of the following cities:

June 26 – Chicago, Palmer Square Park

July 3 – Milwaukee, Humboldt Park

July 10 – Minneapolis, Loring Park

July 31 – Seattle, Gas Works Park

August 14 – Portland, Waterfront Park

August 21 – Boise, Anne Morrison Park

September 4 – Fort Collins, Mothership

September 11 – Denver, City Park

September 25 – San Francisco, Lindley Meadows in Golden Gate Park

October 2 – San Diego, Balboa Park

October 9 – Tempe, Tempe Town Park

October 23 – Los Angeles, L.A. Historic Park

October 30 – Austin, Fiesta Gardens

About New Belgium Brewing Company

New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, began operations in a tiny Fort Collins basement in 1991. Today, the third largest craft brewer in the U.S., New Belgium produces eight year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Ranger IPA, Sunshine Wheat, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey, Mothership Wit and Trippel, as well as a host of seasonal releases. In addition to producing world-class beers, New Belgium takes pride in being a responsible corporate role model with progressive programs such as employee ownership, open book management and a commitment to environmental stewardship. For more information, visit www.newbelgium.com.

Contact: Jenny Foust (w) 303.433.7020 (c) 720.244.4268 jfoust@csg-pr.com

Clif Bar and BikeDenver are pleased to announce their selection of Quiznos as August’s Bicycle Friendly Business of the Month.  Quiznos, that little sandwich shop that started 30 years ago in Denver, is bringing pro cycling back to Colorado after a 22-year hiatus! In this photo (left to right): Joe Moller (President of the Quiznos Pro Challenge), Ellen Kramer (Chief Communications Officer at Quiznos), Lance Armstrong (Pro Cyclist), Governor Bill Ritter, Steve Johnson (CEO of USA Cycling).

Alison Leking, Communications Manager for Quiznos, says: “As a forward-looking brand that is part of the contemporary American lifestyle, Quiznos advocates cycling for its employees, customers, local residents and national enthusiasts.  Quiznos is the title sponsor of the Quiznos Pro Challenge, a seven-stage international pro-cycling competition to be held in Colorado in August 2011.  Quiznos is also a sponsor of Denver B-Cycle, Denver’s bike-sharing program.”  Quiznos encourages cycling and alternative transportation at the corporate office by providing those employees with RTD Eco Passes, and exterior and parking garage bike racks. Corporate employees who bike commute can also store bikes in cubicles and take advantage of showers.

Click here to learn more about the Quiznos Pro Challenge.

BikeDenver’s Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) of the Month Awards help highlight organizations that are making standout contributions and offering great success stories from among BikeDenver’s Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) Program members. The BFB program, with 125 honorees to-date, recognizes businesses, organizations and workplaces that are leading the way to make bicycling an easy and accepted form of transportation in Denver. Nominate a workplace as a Bicycle Friendly Business here.

Quiznos is the little sub shop that began in Denver over 30 years ago.  They believe that your food should taste great and they use the highest quality ingredients to create your perfect lunch.  They’re dedicated to making Mmmmm…One Sub - Soup -Salad at a time.  www.quiznos.com

BikeDenver is Denver’s bicycle advocacy organization. BikeDenver promotes and encourages bicycling in Denver and works to make Denver a better place to ride your bike. Why? Because it’s healthy for you, and healthy for Denver. www.bikedenver.org

Clif Bar & Company started on a bike ride. Founder Gary took a bite of another energy bar and thought he could make a better bar. Today, Clif Bar is a leading maker of all-natural and organic energy and nutrition foods and drinks. www.clifbar.com

Bicycle Friendly Business of the Month Awards: Since partnering in July of 2009 to launch the monthly awards program, Clif Bar and BikeDenver have recognized Watercourse Restaurant, Historic Denver’s Story Trek, Downtown Denver Business Improvement District, Jones Lang LaSalle, Human Powered Transit Authority, Denver Pavilions, the Alliance for a Sustainable Colorado, Salvagetti Bicycle Workshop, Little Man Ice Cream, Denver Water, Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), Sweet Action Ice Cream, and MIGHTYkarma.

More about BikeDenver:

See BikeDenver’s PSA’s and learn about the great reasons to ride in Denver: “Priceless” “Why I Ride”

You can help make a better place to ride a bike by becoming a BikeDenver member: Join BikeDenver!

Want to hear our zippy new radio PSAs? Click here. Hear them here.

Read about previous Bicycle Friendly Business of the Month honorees:

July 2010 - MIGHTYkarma

June 2010 - Sweet Action Ice Cream

May 2010 - Denver Regional Council of Governments

April 2010 - Denver Water

March 2010 - Little Man Ice Cream

February 2010 - Salvagetti Bicycle Workshop

January 2010 - The Alliance for a Sustainable Colorado

December 2009 - Denver Pavilions

November 2009 - Human Powered Transit Authority

October 2009 - Jones Lang LaSalle

September 2009 - Downtown Denver Partnership & BID

August 2009 - Historic Denver’s Story Trek

July 2009 (Inaugural) - Watercourse Restaurant

Perhaps you’re asking - “what’s Kidical Mass”?  Kidical Mass is a legal, safe and FUN bike ride for kids, kids at heart, and their families. All types of bikes, trailers, trail-a-bikes, Xtracycles, longtails, bakfiets, , tandems, trikes, and whatever rolls are welcome! Come hoot it up with us, enjoy family fun on vehicles that don’t impact the environment and celebrate the fact that Kids are Traffic Too. 

Save the Date!: Sunday, August 29th at 12:30pm.

What’s the Plan?:

Meet at the Playground by the rec center in Washington Park.

12:30pm: Bike Decorating & Awards for Best Bikes!

1:00pm: Safety Talk for kids (and moms and pops)!

1:15pm: Bike Ride departs en route to Bonnie Brae ice cream. See the Kidicial Mass Ride Map here.

We’ll have ride guides. We’re planning a route that’ll meander through quiet streets in Bonnie Brae.  Organizers include BikeDenver, and parents/supporters Dave, Zev, Robert and Cassiope.  Thanks Clif Bar for supporting the event with Clif Kids product! We’re hoping this pilot ride will turn into monthly opportunities in 2011!

HELP US PLAN BY RSVPing by Wednesday, August 25th via this Facebook Events Page: Kidical Mass Event or email info(at)bikedenver.org.

Solar-powered staging, fire dancing, organic and local food, a kids area, and of course, bike parking made possible by yours truly!  Don’t miss the Denver Green Route Festival in the up-and-coming RiNo Arts District on Saturday, August 28th.  Presented by Green Spaces and Westword. Updated festival hours: 2pm-11pm!

Purchase advance tickets at www.greenroutedenver.com.  Use promo code BikeDenver and get $2 off your ticket price!  OR, bike in and park at the festival bike corral at Walnut and 26th.  Your bike parking pass will get you $8 off your admission ticket at the door.

We’re pleased to unveil our August Bike Hero: Liz Riviere!  Not your typical bike commuter (or, is she?), Liz rides to work throughout the year from her house in Northwest Denver to Fire Station 16 (just south of Washington Park) where she works as an engineer for the Denver Fire Department.

Liz says: “I ride to work to not only save on fuel, but I also get my workout in for the day because I’m not always able to obtain one at work. I have several bikes in my garage and primarily ride mountain bikes, but my ride of choice for the city is a fixed-gear singlespeed that was handmade by a builder in Fort Collins. It’s like riding a piece of art.”

BikeDenver’s Bike Hero of the Month Awards highlight different people each month, and help encourage other people to bike by telling the Hero’s personal story. The goal of the Bike Hero Awards Program is to showcase the diversity of citizen-cyclists and the people who support them in Denver.

BikeDenver’s Executive Director Piep van Heuven says: “We introduced the Bike Hero awards because we want to encourage a friendly environment for and public image of bicyclists in Denver. One of the ways we can do this is to showcase the different faces of and great stories about people in our community, like Liz, who ride bikes or help others get out there and ride. Through the Bike Hero awards, BikeDenver honors bicyclists of all ages and walks of life, from the first time bicyclist to the rain or shine bicyclist!  We all know people (our neighbors, co-workers, family members or community leaders) who inspire us to reach for the handlebars instead of the car keys. Take a moment to look around you and help BikeDenver recognize the people in our community who are making a difference for Denver, one ride at a time!”

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CYCLING CULTURE COLLIDES WITH POSTER ART? ARTCRANK.

DENVER, (July 28, 2010) – Recently voted one of America’s Best Bike Cities by Bicycle Magazine, Denver is about to play host to a poster show that appeals to art-savvy hipsters and scruffy single-speeders alike. ARTCRANK, billed as “A poster party for bike people,” showcases the bicycle-inspired poster artwork of local artists. The show opens on Saturday, September 4 at the Lisa Koslowski Gallery in Denver’s River North Arts District, and runs through Saturday, September 11. Admission is free, and copies of all posters will sell for $30.

The show started in Minneapolis in 2007, and has since expanded to Denver, Des Moines, Portland, San Francisco and St. Louis. In September 2010, ARTCRANK will make its international debut in London. The first-ever ARTCRANK Denver opening in 2009 attracted more than 700 people, and founder Charles Youel expects attendance at this year’s opening night party to top 1,000. “Denver was the show I’d ever done outside of Minneapolis, and the turnout last year really blew me away,” says Youel.

Denver’s own Josh and Tran Wills teamed up with Youel to bring ARTCRANK to Denver in 2009, and have an even bigger show planned for this year. The Lisa Koslowski Gallery will be packed with posters by 56 artists, and Josh Wills expects them to sell like hotcakes. “Last year, we had lines stretching out the door,” Wills says, adding “This year, we’re ready: more posters, bigger space, more volunteers.”

This year’s show overlaps with the Bicycle Film Festival, which runs from September 9-11, a coincidence that Youel couldn’t be happier about: “This is a great bike town, and there’s so much amazing creative talent here. When you put the two together, great things are going to happen.”

# # #

ARTCRANK

ARTCRANK is a show of bicycle-inspired poster artwork that introduces people to incredibly talented local artists they’ve never heard of before and sends them home with affordable, original works of art. Every ARTCRANK show features posters designed by artists from the host community. Admission is always free, and all posters are priced at $30. Currently, ARTCRANK has shows in Minneapolis, MN, Des Moines, IA, St. Louis, MO, Denver Co, Portland, OR, San Francisco, CA and London, UK.

ARTCRANK Flickr page with photos from all events:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyouel/

For Further Information:

Contact: Charles Youel
charles@artcrankpostershow.com

Bicycling Magazine’s BikeTown is coming to Denver! What’s BikeTown? In 2003, the editor of Bicycling Magazine wondered if a bicycle could change someone’s life. After giving away thousands of bicycles to people all over the U.S., the answer is clearly YES! People have lost weight, connected with their family, been able to beat diabetes, saved money, overcome depression, renewed marriage vows and dozens of other stories.

The BikeTown Tour: For 2010, BikeTown is going to eight cities: - Cleveland - Indianapolis - Denver - Boston - Minneapolis/St Paul - Los Angeles - New Orleans - and Charleston.

The Denver Event: BikeTown, MetLife and Jamis Bicycles will be giving away 31 new bicycles on Thursday August 19 at Salvagetti Bicycle Workshop (1611 Platte St, Denver, 80202) during their Bike Party, Too event.

The Organizers: BikeDenver, Salvagetti and Denver Public Works worked with BikeTown organizers to help bring the event to Denver in 2010.

How to apply for a bike: Submit a 50-word essay about how a bicycle could change someone’s life at Enter BikeTown!

Visit the BikeTown Facebook Page: here.

UPDATED information about Bike Party, Too : www.salvagetti.com/2010/08/02/bike-party-too/

BikeDenver is Denver’s bicycle advocacy organization. BikeDenver promotes and encourages bicycling in and around Denver and works to make Denver a better place to ride your bike for fun, recreation and transportation. Why? Because it’s healthy for you, and healthy for Denver. www.bikedenver.org

Salvagetti Bicycle Workshop is a Denver, Colorado specialty bicycle shop  at 1611 Platte Street that services damn near all kinds of bikes. They sell quality made, fun to ride, easy to love bicycles and accessories. At Salvagetti, they like their jobs and like their customers. All of that means you are sure to appreciate the Salvagetti shop, unless you need that big attitude. www.salvagetti.com