A parade of merry, costumed bicyclists will ride through Golden Hill Saturday during the New Belgium Brewing Company’s quirky Tour de Fat event.
The pro-bike party starts at 11 a.m. at Golden Hill Park and runs through 5 p.m.
It’s an entire festival dedicated to two-wheeled revelry with a cause. The event aims to raise money for local non-profit, pro-bike organizations including San Diego County Bicycle Coalition and San Diego Mountain Bike Association through beer and merchandise sales.
The day’s itinerary includes a colorful, costumed bicycle parade from 11 a.m. to noon, followed by live entertainment, New Belgium beer, food, unusual bike contests and other fun activities. Attendees can register to participate in the parade beginning at 10 a.m.
The event is free and open to the public. A donation of $5 or more is suggested for those registered for the bike parade. Beer will sell for $5 per 16-ounce pour.
The highlight of the merrymaking will be the ceremonious car-for-bike swap, in which a volunteer takes center stage and trades his or her car keys for a new commuter bicycle. The volunteer pledges to live car-free for a year, and his or her car is sold at auction to benefit local cycling organizations.
To submit an application to become San Diego’s volunteer car-for-bike swapper, click here.
This year, the traveling bike fest is hitting 15 cities, with San Diego in the mix. Last year, Tour de Fat traveled to 13 cities, attracting 69,550 attendees and 41,150 parade cyclists.
Last year’s San Diego Tour de Fat fest raised more than $21,000 and boasted 3,000 attendees.
For more information about the event, visit this website.
