Event: Tour de Fat

Tour de Fat

Would you trade your car for a bike? That's the question posed by New Belgium Brewing Co. with its annual Tour de Fat. The beer-tastic event may look like a big, zany bike party on the surface, what with its costume bicycle parade, food trucks, "unusual" bike contests and "eccentric" entertainment from Venezuelan acid-disco-funk band Los Amigos Invisibles and others. But there's a purpose to the party -- the free event raises money for the Midtown Greenway Coalition and Minnesota bike groups through beer and merchandise purchases. The big moment comes when a pre-selected volunteer can hand over his or her car keys and pledges to live car-free for a year and have his or her vehicle auctioned for charity. In return, he or she will get a $2,250 budget to swap the car for a bike. The bike parade departs from Loring Park at 10 a.m., but get there early to register. (9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. Free. Loring Park, Oak Grove St. & Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. www.newbelgium.com.)JAHNA PELOQUIN