tour de noog
Tour De Noog, an art-centric bike ride with an “insistence” on local art, is set to launch at noon on Saturday, March 23, from Sluggo’s, located at 501 Cherokee Blvd., with three scheduled “Art Rides” and three parties throughout the day. The tour continues at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, from Velo Coffee, located at 509 E. Main St.
Created by local photographer David Ruiz and artist Margaret LaVoie of PPRWK, famed for their temporary wheat paste murals, the tour is designed to promote community wellness by activating Chattanoogans to get out and enjoy some free art, exercise and fresh air.
For its first showcase, Ruiz said the project will feature 12 murals across downtown Chattanooga, from Frazier Avenue to Main Street, using his photographs to pay homage to some of Chattanooga’s local musicians. A second showcase is set for the summer. Each showcase will hang for 30 days, then will be removed for 30 to 90 days in preparation for the next. The second showcase will focus on LaVoie’s whimsical illustrations, which will adorn local walls and provide an imaginative and playful journey through Chattanooga.
The tour is a day-long event spanning from North Chattanooga to the Southside. There will be an afternoon party, an evening party and an after party, all intermittent with scheduled Art Rides. At each party, sponsors will be hustlin’ their wares, local musicians will be vibratin’ eardrums and local eateries will be quenchin’ appetites, according to Ruiz. The afternoon party—and all scheduled Art Rides—are free to the public. Participants of scheduled rides will receive discount options to the evening events, along with giveaways from sponsors.
For a full schedule of events, visit tourdenoog.com or facebook.com/tourdenoog.