Tour de Taverns Puts the Fun in Fundraising

Tour de Taverns founder Jimmy Boylan is a true Renaissance man. The well-known Marco Island entrepreneur started - then sold - one of Marco Island’s most popular restaurants, The Speakeasy. For sport, he's sailed his 33’ Endeavor sloop to Cuba. But Tour de Taverns, the annual bicycle-themed fundraiser he started in 2009, has a special place in his heart. This year’s tour is set to roll on Saturday, December 7, at 10:00 AM

"We've raised over a quarter million dollars in the 15 years we've been in operation,” Jimmy Boylan said proudly. “We pick a family with a kid  - and we like to have a family. It's not just about the child. We like to help the rest of the family out too. Every year we go to Golisano Children's Hospital (in Lee County). Sometimes we have referrals."

Boylan’s daughter gave him the idea for Tour de Taverns.

"I was trying to think of activities that people down here would like,” Boylan said. "And my daughter was running a thing called Corner to Corner that had about six taverns, and they had about 13 riders. She told me about it, and I said, ‘Now that's something that they might like down here.' So, we made it a poker run and called it the Tour de Taverns. And the first year we had over 60 riders.”

The 2022 Tour de Taverns attracted 307 riders. 

"We raised $34,000 that year,” Boylan beamed. "Each of the participating restaurants donate $250 and all the riders donate $30. For $30 you get a nice t-shirt. Matt Walthour of Island Bike Shop provides free bikes for anyone that doesn't have a bike."

“We couldn't do it without Matt,” said Margo Boylan, Jimmy’s wife. “He’s a very generous donor.”

" If it wasn't for him,” Jimmy said, "this would not have kicked off. Most of the people in the ride are riding his bikes. Everybody's got the same colored shirt, and almost everyone's on a yellow bike. You see them all riding from place to place."

"It'll be gangs of bicyclists going down the sidewalk,” Margo said. "And they'll have costumes."

“Yeah,” Jimmy interjects, "some with goofy bikes. Tall bikes and unicycles. They do all kinds."

Jimmy says the heart and soul of the event is the raffle at the end of the ride. This year’s prizes include an e-bike, donated by Mr. Bentley’s Ice Cream Shoppe.

"Johnny Fusco donates his time and donates his tip jar back,” Jimmy said. “He provides the entertainment, and he conducts the raffle for me. We get great raffle prizes. That’s where we really make the money on the raffle.”

You can sign up for Tour de Taverns 2024 by visiting eventbrite.com or Tour de Taverns on Facebook, or in person at the Marco Island Brewery or The Speakeasy. Or you may just want to come for the raffle at The Speakeasy. The music goes from 2-5:00 PM. Riders arrive at 4:00 PM, followed by the raffle and the announcement of the winner.