WINONA LAKE – The 10th annual Fat and Skinny Tire Festival is May 17-19 in Winona Lake. Robbie Gast Jr., Alan Alderfer and Greg Demopoulos started the festival. Demopoulos is the festival director this year. The festival is sponsored by K21 Health Foundation. He said there were 1,600 participants last year in the race, and he hopes for the same turnout this year. “The Fat and Skinny Tire Festival is our Super Bowl of highlighting bicycling in the community,” Demopoulos said. “The goal is to raise awareness of bicycling and walking as a means for health, wellness, and transportation.” To kick off the festival, a Bike To Work Day is May 17. National Bike To Work Week is May 13-17. Locals can participate in the day May 17 beginning at 7 a.m. for free coffee and snacks at Mad Anthony’s Lake City Taphouse or at 1000 Park Bakafe in Winona Lake. After work on May 17, from 4 to 6 p.m., visit Cerulean Garden for a free beer available to those who ride their bicycles. A kickoff party will be May 17 starting at 6 p.m. An all-size tires Community Critical Mass Ride starts at the Trailhouse in Winona Lake and finishes at Mad Anthony’s Lake City Taphouse in Warsaw. At 7:15 p.m. May 17, a BMX stunt show with a video party will be at Mad Anthony’s, which will be followed by live music at 9 p.m. inside Mad Anthony’s. There will be a multi-length tour ride benefiting Bicycle Indiana May 18 that will take bicyclists through Kosciusko and Whitley counties. There will be a mountain bike race May 18. A free four-mile historical bike tour of Winona Lake is May 18. Kids activities and a road race for children is May 18. Events for those ages 12 and under include a Safe Kids Bike Rodeo, tire toss and paperboy competition. For those 10 and under, there will be a Wild Ride Bike Art parade. To end the races May 18 there will be a beer tent from 5 p.m. to midnight with bands playing under a tent by Cerulean Restaurant in Winona Lake. The Orthopedic Cup Celebrity Cruiser Race is Sunday. A village road criterium race is Sunday with participants taking a half-mile lap around the island in Winona Lake. A Circuit Road Race is May 19. Racers will complete several laps in Winona Lake.
