New Belgium’s Tour de Fat

Fun festival to pop over to a bit! If you’re a beer drinker, that is. It happens annually at Palmer Square in Logan Square and with one of my best friends living just a block away, it’s an ideal summer fest for me. I can get nice and boozy, then just stumble back to my friend’s place.
Tour de Fat always starts with a bicycle parade in the morning and these people go all out. Now my bike gets some stares and whispers, because as my friends say, «it shoots out rainbows and sunshine like a unicorn.» However, my bike has nothing on those at Tour de Fat. People go all out decorating and they bring in really strange looking bikes of all shapes and sizes. It’s a fun place to people [and bike] watch, that’s for sure.
The day then goes on filled with fun including many musical performers (this past year the highlight for me was Reggie Watts!), contests, shows and things all around the park to play with. And boy does it offer some great photo ops!
The beer girl in me loves this festival despite it being New Belgium which is normally not a favorite brewer of mine. This festival changed my mind a bit. They had all their staples on tap like Fat Tire, Snapshot, Ranger and Slow Ride but also Blue Paddle (wasn’t feeling this) and then some really stellar sours La Folie (Lips of Faith) and Hoptart a very sour IPA. If you want some of their more special beers, best to get there early because they did run out of some brews.
Unless you’re going to stick around for some of the musical acts or enjoy people watching, there isn’t a ton to do at this fest. But if you’re looking for a boozy, chill afternoon surrounded by locals this could be just what you’re after.
11.2.15 — Update from
today: New Belgium Brewing Co.‘s traveling tour to raise money for bicycle advocacy found Chicago hospitable, as their tour stop on July 11 here raised $ 51,141.

Like beer ‘n bikes ‘n some weird stuff too? If so, this event is for you!
I’m not sure how long New Belgium has hosted the Tour de Fat in Palmer Square, but I know it’s been several years now… One day every summer, New Belgium sets up shop in various city parks in celebration of bikes and good beer. Along with that, there is music, activities for kids, performances, dance contests, slow-​ride contests, hula hoops, tutus, food trucks, and, among a lot of other funky things, a circular riding ring for custom built bikes (i.e. a three-​person bike, super low riders, super high riders).
Before all the festivities begin at the park, there is a bike parade where riders are encouraged to dress in costume.
We didn’t participate in the parade, but we did enjoy wandering around the grounds and exploring everything that came along with the Tour de Fat. Very fun and well managed (plenty of extra bike racks, easy event registration, ample porta potties).