Tour de Fat is New Belgium Brewing's flagship costumed bicycle parade and street festival, held free each August in Fort Collins where the tradition began around 1999. A daytime parade from City Park along Mountain Avenue leads into a party at the brewery with live music, contests, and games.
New Belgium Brewing has built its identity around bicycles since its earliest days in Fort Collins, and Tour de Fat is the clearest annual expression of that culture.
The event has raised nearly six million dollars for local bike nonprofits over its history entirely through donations, since attendance itself remains free, an unusual funding model for an event of this scale and longevity
Its costumed bicycle parade, now more than 25 years running, has become one of the most recognizable images of Fort Collins' bike-friendly culture, and as New Belgium's founding flagship charity festival it has since been replicated in other cities, though Fort Collins remains the original and largest gathering
Founded by New Belgium Brewing around 1999
Tour de Fat channels the brewery's bike-centric company culture into a public charity event
and its consistent free admission paired with donation-based fundraising for bike nonprofits has remained the event's core structure across more than two decades
29 August 2026
Use the city as a planning base, then confirm the exact venue, route, or meeting point close to the date.
A costume is the whole point: elaborate, silly, or themed outfits are the norm for parade participants, while festival-only attendees can wear casual summer clothing suited to a full day...
Keep valuables light, follow local instructions, and watch how residents use the space before joining in.
Stay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.
Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.
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Tour de Fat is listed for 29 August 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.
The festival is listed in Fort Collins, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.
One day is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.
Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.
Fort Collins, CO
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