Project Name: Winter Games
Organization: Tempe Bicycle Action Group (TBAG)
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Time Frame: Winter Solstice / February
Project Type: Infrastructure, Advocacy, Community, Ride, Event, Education, Policy, Fundraising
Contact: Looking for more tips to bring this to your community? Email Stevie with Tempe Bicycle Action Group (TBAG)
Every winter solstice, the Tempe Bicycle Action Group (TBAG) hosted an annual Winter Games event, featuring a series of fun and unconventional bike-related games. The event aimed to bring the community together to celebrate bicycling in a lighthearted, competitive, and sometimes chaotic manner. The games included:
- Bike Frame Toss – Participants competed to throw old bicycle frames the farthest.
- Princess Death Bike Race – A themed race with whimsical and often challenging obstacles.
- Bird Box Challenge – A daring and risky game inspired by the movie Bird Box (participants rode blindfolded).
- Tall Bike Jousting – A high-stakes duel on tall bikes.
- Art Station? – Potentially an open creative space for participants.
The event sometimes served as a fundraiser but primarily focused on community building, providing food, entertainment, and a welcoming space for Tempe’s cycling enthusiasts.
The Winter Games provided an opportunity for the bicycle community to come together, celebrate cycling, and enjoy a different side of the sport—one focused on silliness, camaraderie, and sometimes even minor injuries. This event also gave space for the community to contribute new game ideas, making each iteration unique. While it once functioned as a fundraiser, the primary goal was to foster community and provide free food, including hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and drinks.
- No formal data collection or record-keeping beyond the memories of past attendees.
- Board members found a location and designed fun and creative games.
- Volunteers managed logistics, including food procurement (typically from Costco).
- Organizers secured a beer permit for the event.
- The team considered making the event a benefit for a local community to justify additional fundraising activities, such as a raffle or charging for event materials.
The event was supported by several local businesses and organizations, including:
- The Beer Shop Co.
- State Bike
- New Belgium Beers
- Tips Liqueur
- Volunteer Recruitment: Finding people to manage game stations.
- Grill Master Shortages: Ensuring someone was always available to cook food.
- General Supplies: Acquiring necessary materials for the games and event infrastructure.
- Charging for Cups for Free Beer: This strategy proved effective in managing the beer supply and raising funds.
- Strong Attendance: Offering free food significantly boosted event turnout.
- Engaging Master of Ceremonies (MC): In one year, an energetic MC kept the crowd engaged and dancing, improving the event atmosphere.
- Participation Challenges: While many attended, fewer people actively participated in the games, preferring to watch while eating.
- Trial and Error in Game Design: Some games required tweaking to encourage more participation.
- Shyness Among Participants: Many attendees hesitated to join in, leading to fewer competitors than anticipated.
- Low Game Participation: Organizers expected more people to play but found that most preferred to spectate.
- Varying Levels of Risk: Some games, like the Bird Box Challenge, proved riskier than expected.
- Overall Positive Feedback: The event was well-received as a fun, community-building experience.
- Room for Improvement: Organizers noted the need to enhance game engagement.
- Dedicated Planning Team: Secure a committed group to plan and execute the event.
- Multiple Pre-Event Meetings: Ensure logistics, games, and supplies are organized well in advance.
- Location Selection: Choose a central but unique and appropriately sized venue.
- Incentives for Participation: Consider ways to encourage more people to engage in the games.
- $500 Budget: Used to cover event costs.
- Sponsorships & Donations: Support from local businesses helped fund supplies.
- Game Materials: Supplies for new and recurring games.
- Volunteers: Essential for managing logistics and game stations.
- Marketing: Spoke cards and flyers distributed at local bars and bike shops.
- Adequate Venue: Ensuring enough space for games, attendees, and activities.
The Winter Games was a beloved annual event that highlighted the creative and celebratory aspects of Tempe’s cycling community. While it faced challenges in game participation and volunteer recruitment, the event consistently drew strong attendance and fostered a sense of camaraderie among cyclists. With more structured planning and strategies to engage attendees in game participation, future iterations could become even more successful and impactful.