Mark it Down! Tour de Fat is Coming to San Diego on September 24 With More Zany Antics Than Ever Before

Jenny Foust

Communications Strategy Group

(w) 303.433.7020

(c) 720.244.4268

Ft. Collins, Colo., August 11, 2016 –  New Belgium Brewing’s Tour de Fat, a traveling celebration of all things bike, is returning to San Diego Saturday, September 24. Tour de Fat will take place in Golden Hill Park offering a day of eclectic entertainment, a costumed bike ride, a gameshow, car-for-bike swap, fashion showdown, great music, and of course plenty of New Belgium beer. The event is free, yet all donations and proceeds from beer and merchandise sales will go to San Diego-area non-profits.

“We can’t wait to bring the magic of Tour de Fat back to San Diego,” said Matt Kowal, New Belgium Brewing’s Tour de Fat Impresario. “New Belgium celebrates 25 years this year. To me, more than anything, that means 25 years of Fat Tire shining like a rainbow over a waterfall of ho-hummity. Emblazoned with a red cruiser bicycle, Fat Tire speaks to the inspiration of our company, our founding beers, and our ethos of balance. And so it was and so it continues to inspire us all, let’s celebrate! Whether you ride your bike down or ride one of our mutant bikes around, we will have a bash and raise some cash for bike-orgs that work hard for you all year!”

The main stage in San Diego will feature Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, a seven-piece band that plays a mixture of soul, rock and dirty funk. The band shakes up rock ‘n’ roll and has shared stages with Gov’t Mule, Dr. John, Trombone Shorty, The Avett Brothers, Counting Crows, and Galactic.

Other main stage acts will include the soulful dream rock sounds of Esmé Patterson, who won many fans as a writing and performing partner with Shakey Graves, now in the pilot seat to drive her band with one of the best voices anywhere.

The Kolars will also play in San Diego. This husband and wife duo are also members of the renowned band He’s my Brother, She’s my Sister. To complement his disco, glam-a-billy, space guitar blues; she has reconceived a rhythmic contraption to tap and play atop a kick drum. The Kolars thrills audiences with its unabashed exuberance.

Two other stages, Sputnik mobile stage and Le Tigre Grande, will offer all-day entertainment featuring comedy, spectacle, and interactive happenings.

Everyone 21 and older will be able to sample new and classic favorites from New Belgium, including the brewery’s flagship brew, Fat Tire, New Belgium’s latest year-round offering, Citradelic Tangerine IPA, along with more esoteric beers from its Lips of Faith series. It’s also the only place to enjoy Carnie Blood, a beer made in honor of the Tour de Fat Carnies that make this tour possible every year. Carnie Blood Vol. 3 is an Imperial Stout brewed with two single-origin cocoas and chicory.

As for the fundraising, this year all proceeds in San Diego will go to San Diego County Bicycle Coalition and San Diego Mountain Biking Association. The entire 2015 season raised more than $647,668, with the San Diego event rolling in $43,003.

Swap your car for a $2,250 Bike! New Belgium is once again on the hunt for a lucky swapper willing to trade in four wheels for two and commit to using a bike as their sole means of transportation. Each swapper is awarded a stipend to buy his or her own commuter bike. Potential swappers just need to submit a video explaining why they have what to takes to go car-free and what the new lifestyle would mean to them. Apply at NewBelgium.com/Events/Tour-de-Fat/CarTrader.

Golden Hill Park

10:00 a.m. – Ride Registration

11:00 a.m. – Bike Ride

12:00 p.m. – Fashion Showdown

12:30 p.m. – The Kolars

1:30 p.m. – Slow Ride

1:50 p.m. – Esmé Patterson

3:00 p.m. – The Bike is Right! Game show to win a 2016 New Belgium bike

3:20pm ****SPUTNIK @ MAIN STAGE****

3:40 p.m. – Car-For-Bike Trade

3:50 p.m. – Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds

5:00 p.m. – Adios Amigos! (curfew)

Admission – FREE!

Donations for non-profits are accepted

Beer – $5

Pre-Registration

You can pre-register and donate to receive a limited edition Tour de Fat license plate, sunglasses, or patch at http://bit.ly/2b1df16.

See Facebook.com/TourDeFat for the Tour de Fat credo, schedules, videos and to submit an entry to swap your vehicle for a fancy new bicycle. For more on the San Diego stop, click here.

New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100% employee-owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses, and a Certified B Corp. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews thirteen year-round beers; Citradelic Tangerine IPA, Ranger IPA, Rampant Imperial IPA, Shift Pale Lager, Slow Ride Session IPA, Snapshot Wheat, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Ale, Blue Paddle Pilsner, Abbey Belgian Ale and Trippel and a gluten-reduced line, Glutiny Pale Ale and Glutiny Golden Ale. Learn more at www.newbelgium.com.