TinyFest

If you appreciate tiny living, or even live in a tiny space like I do, you'll definitely enjoy TinyFest. It's such a fun event to explore and learn about the creativity and skill put into building and designing tiny homes! This festival happens annually, rotating through different cities around the country. This past weekend, the Alameda County Fairgrounds was a fitting venue, with its ample event space and parking.Visitors could tour different types of tiny homes including shipping container homes, vans, RVs, buses, former ambulance trucks, sustainable buildings, and even simple shelters for homelessness. And the lines weren't too bad, some of the bigger tiny homes had long lines earlier in the day, but they would go fast and die down quickly. It was cool to see up close how space was used/created and how furniture and fixtures were set up in these tiny dwellings, from fireplaces to lounge areas to second level lofts, and even bathrooms with clever and appealing toilet-shower combos. The architecture and materials were impressive for many of these tiny homes, some fancier than others. There were also plenty of vendors selling related items, such as miniature kitchen appliances or security systems. By the way, most of the tiny homes were for sale (even customizable) or available to rent.Food and drinks were available for purchase, just a few tents, one selling beer/alcohol, one selling lemonade and snow cones, and one selling pizza and tacos (Nahua). The lines for food were fairly long in the afternoon, about a 30-minute wait, but the food was satisfying as we ate in the dedicated seating area (tables with umbrellas) and listened to the provided music while enjoying conversation. Even though they were out of the combo and veggie pizzas, the pepperoni pizza was cooked in a wood fired oven right before our eyes and served hot and delicious. The steak taco was pretty standard, nothing outstanding, but still good.Entertainment included live music (guitar, ukelele, vocalists), which was enjoyable and relaxing, some of the musicians living in tiny homes/vans themselves. And the stages had set schedules for lectures, Q&A, and panel discussions related to the legal matters for tiny living, where to park when traveling, and construction of tiny homes.The crowd was filled with people interested in purchasing or building tiny homes, DIYers, and just curious individuals and families looking to explore the concept of tiny living, options for more affordable housing, and unique projects to consider. I had a lot of fun people watching and imagining different possibilities based on the creations of others. And it was cool meeting "tiny dwellers" who enjoy the unconventional simpler life just like me :)

Don't go here thinking you're going to be like Godzilla walking through a doll sized town. Do go here looking for some awesome houses of a smaller footprint. This festival has opened my eyes to the amazing options and creativity for people who don't find the need for a traditional sized house. I was pleased to see vans, buses and ambulances converted into chic homesteads. There were a lot of cool merchants selling everything you'd ever need for tiny home living. Though the festival is still pretty small, there were good food vendors and even an axe throwing booth. Very cool, very tiny, very much a fun place to be. Can't wait to see what they have available next time.