Family Fun Day At Tour de Fat Asheville
This year as part of our anniversary gift to each other, Ryan and I decided to get tickets for the 2017 New Belgium Brewing Tour de Fat Asheville. This was an awesome family event and is definitely on the list of things to do next year.
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Tour de Fat Asheville
This wasn’t only our first time experiencing Tour de Fat, but it was also the first year that New Belgium, Asheville has had the event. It kicked off on May 20, which lined up perfectly with our 13th wedding anniversary. The kids were even excited for this event. We have taken them to past New Belgium Brewery events and they have always had fun. Little did they know that this one would be a blast.
We arrived early and waited in a short line until they opened the gates. The nice part about arriving early? Definitely having no wait line for the bathrooms, food and beer. We took it to our advantage and tried to narrow down a food truck. One truly doesn’t know how hard that is unless you’ve experienced ALL the amazing food trucks Asheville has to offer. They had all our favorites lined up to pick from, so it was the matter of trying to decide what exactly we were in the mood for. 
It wasn’t long after we entered the gates that the entertainment began. They have an amazing touring ensemble of vaudeville acts, cirque performers, artists, local buskers and so much more.
Not only that but you are encouraged to dress up!! Throughout the day they had entertainers on the main stage and some on a mobile stage. While it sounds like a lot going on, I loved how easy it was to basically catch every show.
They had games for kids and for us kids at heart. Giant Jenga, Giant Connect for and more. With so many activities going on, the lines weren’t long at all if you did want to play one of the games.
The night ended with a concert from by Third Eye Blind which was amazing.
All in all this was an amazing event. When they say it’s an event the entire family can enjoy, they aren’t kidding. The entertainers were awesome at keeping the content kid-friendly, the games and activities provided were fun for everyone and even the ending show was perfect.
If you’ve ever considered going to one, I highly recommend it. Our boys are already counting down until next year’s kick-off and have already said they’ll be dressing up.
Things to Know at Tour de Fat Asheville
Arrive early if possible. The Asheville New Belgium doesn’t have a ton of parking available. However, they do have a free shuttle for those that have to park in other designated areas. Since we knew we were going to be in the bus, I contacted them prior to the event regarding parking. They were absolutely amazing to work with with.
Asheville Tour de Fat kicked off the years events. North Carolina in May can get pretty warm, so be sure to bring plenty of water. We brought our Nalgene bottles and refilled them throughout the day at the refilling station inside the building.
Over the years of attending festivals, I have learned to always carry a day pack or backpack. We always use our Osprey Daypack and have been pleased with it. It carries snacks and drinks for the family.
This was the first year that New Belgium has charged for Tour de Fat, but it’s totally worth it. The ticket prices can vary per city, but it’s all for a good cause. With this festival, they are hoping to generate more than $600,000 in support of local causes!
