Last month, I participated in my favorite of all Milwaukee events, the Tour de Farce, a biking bar crawl through Bay View and Downtown.
This Saturday, a similarly named -- but apparently completely unique event -- also goes down in Bay View. The Tour de Fat bike parade rolls through Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Ave.
Frankly, I'm having a little bit of a hard time wrapping my head around what it will be. But it sure sounds cool.
Sponsored by New Belgium Brewing (which makes the very tasty Fat Tire beer), the Tour de Fat is a traveling event designed to spread the word about the positive societal offerings of biking. It visits 13 cities, and Saturday's stop in Milwaukee involves costumes, a parade, poetry (I think) and a car-for-bike trade.
Based on the promotional videos and Web site, it all sounds rather trippy, but people who've experienced it assure me that it's all a lot of fun.
The bike parade begins at 10 a.m., with registration an hour earlier. At 11, the performances begin -- a mix of music and modern Vaudeville acts.
At 1:30 p.m., they stage a New Orleans style funeral procession for the person who is trading in his or her car for a bike, and at 3:30 p.m. they hold a celebration for the swap. It's all over by 4 p.m., which is plenty late, considering beer is being consumed most of the time.
This whimsical rolling festival is a non-profit event and raises awareness of the many benefits of biking. Proceeds benefit the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, which is a worthy cause.
Honestly, I'm still a little confused, but I have a feeling that it'll make more sense when I witness it person. See you there!
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
