Tour de Fat in Tempe celebrates beer, bicycles

The connection between bicycling and a Belgian-style beer brewery may not be an obvious one. But that is what Tour de Fat is all about.

The festival celebrating bike and beer culture at Tempe Beach Park on Saturday is in its tenth stop in the 11-city tour.

The day began with a bike parade which ran from Rio Salado Parkway, to Hardy Drive, down through the Farmer neighborhood, and back up Ash Avenue to Tempe Beach Park. People were encouraged to wear costumes and bring custom-built “freak bikes.”

The festival also had a “rideable” art exhibit, a slow bike race, and several live musical acts.

According to Bryan Simpson, a spokesman for New Belgium Brewery, Tour de Fat is about more than just fun and games.

“We were really founded based on a bicycle trip the founder took through Belgium,” he said. “So we tried to find ways how we can give back to bicycle community.”

“All of the money from beer we donate goes to bike advocacy groups,” Simpson said.

Money from this year’s festival will go to local bicycle organizations such as Tempe Bicycle Action Group and Bike Saviours Bicycle Co-op.

According to the brewery’s Web site, Tour de Fat “celebrates bicycling as a viable form of alternative transport.”

New Belgium Brewery also gives back in less conventional ways. “We’re getting someone from every city to trade their car for a bicycle,” he said.

“We are looking always to limit CO2 emissions,” Simpson said.

New Belgium Brewery is dedicated to “honoring nature at every turn of the business,” according to their website.

In 1999, New Belgium Brewery became the first wind-powered brewery.

Tour de Fat used a solar-powered stage to provide entertainment with a clean alternative to traditional energy sources.

Matthew Jaramilla, 36, said, though he is a self-proclaimed bicycle and beer enthusiast, he came to Tour de Fat for more than just fun.

“I wanted to see if anyone was doing anything with adding motors to bikes,” he said.

The motor, according to Jaramilla, would add an extra boost and make commuting by bike easier.

Jaramilla works at Salt River Project and recently did a report about electric energy.

“If you compare the cost of electricity for SRP and APS and then compare the average gas cost, you’ll see it’s actually seven times cheaper to run an electric motor.”

The festival also limits solid waste with compostable cups made from corn.

Corey Martinez, 23, volunteered at the waste disposal tent and said the event has been concerned with the amount of garbage produced in years prior.

“Last year they had a ticker to show the weight in pounds of compost,” she said.

“We’re trying to do zero waste,” she said. “We have receptacles for recyclable,

compostable, and regular trash.”

Martinez said she and her boyfriend were happy to volunteer for Tour de Fat this year.

“Its just fun to have an event for bikes and beer and recycling,” she said. “Another perk is dressing in costume.”

Aggie Karpuk, 28, said she was excited she to take part in the festival for the first time this year.

“I’ve heard of it before but I always missed it,” she said. “I’ve never found an event that encapsulates this movement so well.”

Tour de Fat also promotes responsible riding and drinking by training volunteer beer pourers how to keep attendees safe and citation-free.

Simpson said the event isn’t about getting rowdy.

“We think it is not about quantity consumption, it’s about quality,” he said.