Tour de Hives 2014

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The 4th Annual Boston Tour de Hives will engage, educate and enchant you with a first-hand look at honeybees in hives across the city, and will be guided by the humans who tend them. On Saturday June 21st come celebrate the bees on this auspicious Summer Solstice during National Pollinator Week (https://pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2014.htm)! Hives in North Cambridge, Fresh Pond, and Newton will be featured on this year's tour, which you will visit by bicycle.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN & STRONGLY RECOMMENDED (once we reach capacity we will have to close registration and turn away walk-ins on the day of): http://2014tourdehives.bpt.me/

Highlights of this year's tour include (not necessarily in this order)....

Site A: tending warre hives (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beehive#Warr.C3.A9_hives) at an urban elementary school, chat with teachers

Site B: honeybees and fruit at an assisted living facility, speak with residents and their beekeeper

BYO PICNIC LUNCH: Featuring Commonwheels Bicycle Collective (http://commonwheels-org.squarespace.com/commontools/) with a free DIY bike-maintenance skill share, including free tool use

Site C: backyard beekeeping, hear from a Newton family about their home honey production

Site D: beekeeping at Fresh Pond Reservoir in Cambridge

We will gather together at John F. Kennedy Park in Cambridge at 9:00am (near the intersection of JFK Ave & Memorial Drive), divide into 4 groups and visit 2 local apiaries, convening as a large group for lunch before splitting off into 4 groups again for the final 2 sites. At each site, you will have the chance to hear from local beekeepers and meet their bees! The total ride will be ~15 miles, broken up by hive visits, snacks and lunch (no single leg will be longer than 5 miles).

Please bring a bag lunch, bicycle, helmet, and water bottle!

Don't have a bike? No problem! Rent one from Urban AdvenTours (http://www.urbanadventours.com/) at a discounted price of $20 when you mention Tour de Hives. A one-day, $20 rental is good for 24 hours. Bikes can be picked up on June 20th during UA's (http://www.urbanadventours.com/) store hours and dropped off after the Tour during their hours. UA (http://www.urbanadventours.com/) is located at 103 Atlantic Ave Boston, MA 02110.

The registration fee of $20 covers snacks and an event T-shirt (organic & hand-printed by a local artist). Pre-register today at http://2014tourdehives.bpt.me/ if you want to be sure to get a spot on the tour (and a T-shirt)! While no one will bee denied TdH access for lack of funds, once we reach capacity we will regrettably have to close registration. Please contact us if the suggested registration fee of $20 is prohibitive for you. Any proceeds raised will bee reinvested in education & outreach initiatives by the Boston Area Beekeepers Association (formerly Boston Beekeepers Club).

Many thanks to this year's supporting sponsors!

*Follow the Honey (http://followthehoney.com/)

*Ferris Wheels (http://2014tourdehives.bpt.me/www.ferriswheelsbikeshop.com)

*Best Bees Company (http://www.bestbees.com/)

*Maxant (http://www.maxantindustries.com/)

*Moonlight Meadery (http://www.moonlightmeadery.com/)

*Whole Foods Fresh Pond (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/freshpond)

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Our sponsors' contributions include gift certificates that will be raffled off at lunch. As part of the registration cost, each registrant will receive one raffle ticket. Additional raffle tickets cost $2 each. You must purchase and enter your raffle tickets at registration, so plan to arrive early!

• Two "Romance Packages" from Moonlight Meadery (http://www.moonlightmeadery.com/)
• One Broadway Bicycle School (http://broadwaybicycleschool.com/classes/) class
• Hubway (https://www.thehubway.com/) one year membership

*By purchasing a Tour de Hives ticket participants agree and do hereby release from all liability and hold harmless The Tour de Hives (Tour), sponsored by the Boston Area Beekeepers Association and any of its volunteers representing or related to the Tour de Hives. This liability release is for any and all liability for personal injuries including death and property losses or damage in connection with any activity of the above mentioned Tour. The above named individual(s) further agree to abide by all the rules and regulations that are presented by this Tour.