For the first time ever, New Belgium Brewing is taking Tour de Fat a Mile High. After touring the West for the last six years, the cycling circus is finally making a stop in Denver. The annual event is a ballyhoo of bikes and beer, with environmental sustainability at the very heart of it all. On July 7, the tour starts spinning, with Denver kicking off the 12-city party.

Tour de Fat began seven years ago in Ft. Collins, Colorado to increase awareness and participation in cycling as the sustainable transportation alternative. Tour de Fat has captured the imagination of communities across the West bringing people together with fanciful entertainment, contests, art displays and, of course, New Belgium Beer. Last year Tour de Fat traveled to 11 cities, attracted more than 31,000 people and raised more than $166,000.

It has become a great tradition for bike enthusiasts, charities and bon vivants of every kind.

“It will be a zany day, unlike anything Denver has ever seen before,” said Chris Winn, Tour de Fat’s coordinator and event evangelist. “People and bikes parade around decorated in outrageous costumes, great musicians take to the solar-powered stage, and fascinating performers entertain with creative antics, all while we raise money for local organizations that support the two-wheeled lifestyle.”

Tour de Fat is free to participants, but money spent on beer and New Belgium Brewing groovy goods goes towards local charities. The philanthropic cycling circus helped more than non-profit organizations in 2006. The Denver stop will raise money for The Derailleur Bicycle Collective, a free community-run bicycle shop with a 100% volunteer staff, Bike Denver, which encourages people to put away their car keys and bike while traveling within the City and County of Denver and Flight for Life Colorado, which transports patients seeking urgent medical care.

In addition to raising green for local charities and organizations Tour de Fat supports “green” initiatives. Consistent to New Belgium Brewing’s commitment to environmental sustainability, Tour de Fat seeks to leave as small an environmental imprint as possible.

New to TDF this year:

• One volunteer in Denver will commit to live car-free for one year, as part of the Car-for-Bike Trade Program. The dedicated individual will sign over their car title and in exchange get a Hand Built Black Sheep/New Belgium commuter bike. The selected volunteer will chronicle the trials and triumphs along their car-free journey. The volunteer is chosen after submitting a video or letter describing themself and their desire to live car-free.

• At the Carbon e-Racer Kiosk participants can see how much they will help the environment by making a commitment to join Team Wonderbike. Team Wonderbike members promise to commute by bike at least once a month for a year.

Other annual sustainable gestures include:

• The Tour de Fat crew traveling on B100 biodiesel fuel.
• Bands play from solar-powered stages that are transported in solar-powered trailers to keep the energy flowing.
• Volunteers and staff help compost and recycle waste from each tour stop, resulting in an overall waste diversion rate of 85% in 2006. The waste diversion rate goal for 2007 is 95%.

What: Tour de Fat
When: Saturday, July 7
Where: City Park – West Side
Time: 11:00 a.m. – Cruiser Bike Parade
12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Bands and Beer
Bring: Your bike, the wildest costume you can find, and excitement about the whimsical way you will spend they day!

Bands: The Reals and The Asylum Street Spankers
Check ‘em out at www.thereals.net and www.asylumstreetspankers.com.

Sideshows: The Yard Dogs Road Show (www.eddyjoecotton.com/yarddogs.html)
Come see their traveling show that is part cabaret, vaudeville and rock and roll, including sword swallowing, fire eating and dancing dolls.

Handsome Little Devils (www.handsomelittledevils.com)
This show includes sights you can’t see anywhere else – dueling
unicycles, chainsaw juggling and ballet of the flame-thrower pogo
sticks.

Tour de Fat will be making its way to these cities:

July 7: Denver, CO
July 21: San Francisco, CA
July 28: Truckee, CA
Aug. 11: Seattle, WA
Aug. 18 : Portland, OR
Aug. 25: Boise, ID
Sept. 1: Missoula, MT
Sept. 15: Durango, CO
Sept. 22: Ft. Collins, CO
Oct. 6: Flagstaff, AZ
Oct. 13: Tempe, AZ
Oct. 20: Austin, TX

For more information on Tour de Fat, please visit http://www.newbelgium.com/. To see a video montage of previous Tour de Fat stops log onto http://www.followyourfolly.com/folly_tour_de_fat.html.

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 six year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Sunshine Wheat, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey 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.