Is Tour de Fat kid friendly??.

Can any bicycling parents out there help me out? We'd like to take our kids (4 & 2 years) to Tour de Fat on Saturday but are not sure how family friendly the festival is. Any parents out there ever been? Is there stuff to do for the little ones?

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on July 8, 2014 at 11:02am

Very. It starts with a kids parade and there are kid decorating tents as well. Tons of families there.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 8, 2014 at 11:07am

+1. It manages to be extremely family friendly as well as fun for kids of all ages.

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Permalink Reply by Jaik S. on July 8, 2014 at 12:28pm

I saw quite a few kids there last year, as well as many adults acting like kids. It's a great time.

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Permalink Reply by David Altenburg on July 8, 2014 at 3:14pm

Yes! I went last year while my daughter and wife were out of town visiting the in-laws, and I really wanted my 2-year-old to be there because she would have loved it. I'm bringing her this year.

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Permalink Reply by Jane Healy on July 8, 2014 at 5:03pm

I bring a kids bike club there every year along with my own children. It's very family friendly with many interesting things to see and do. However, there are some things to think about:
-it can be very hot. Consider hats, sunscreen, light weight clothing, an umbrella, water mister/bottle etc.
-there is no formal seating. Bring a blanket or towel to sit on.
-due to the live music and performances, it can be loud. Maybe not the best for an infant or child who is sensitive....
-there will be a lot of people in a pretty small space. Keep an eye on your kids to avoid losing them and be sure your name and cell phone number are somewhere on them so if you do get separated you can be reunited quickly.
-the event is in a park, on grass. Strollers suck. Use a sling, backpack or snugli for a little one.
-multiple food trucks make for great noshing, but the food ain't cheap. Bring a decent amount of cash for drinks and nibbles.
-this is hosted by a beer company, so expect to see lots of people drinking. I've never seen any "bad" behavior associated with the alcohol consumption, but if that's a problem for you, you're forewarned now.

All this said, TdF is a blast!

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Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on July 8, 2014 at 6:59pm

Yes, bring the kids! The fun stuff to do for the little ones is the early morning stuff. The best is the early morning ride. Get to Palmer park after 10 am to register, then the ride/bike parade leaves at 11 am.

Palmer park is the location of a monthly (2 nd Saturday) Kidical Mass. So this event turns it into a mega Kidical Mass ride. Dress the kids up in costume for the 11 am ride. The ride gets bigger every year. Don't be late!

Then, there is also the slow ride race with the weird bikes at 1:10pm which is fun for kids to watch and participate in.
Everyone could also enjoy the carnival type acts in the stages, till the kids get tired, or not !

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Permalink Reply by Suzanne on July 9, 2014 at 1:44am

We brought our 1 yo last year and it was fun. I wore him in a carrier to help keep him safe and to make it easier for us. We stayed for less than an hour cuz it was hot and approaching nap time, but totally worth going!! We'll be there again this year w/ our 2 yo, he's spirited so we'll see how long we last ;)