TinyFest bringing big buzz about little homes back to Del Mar

There’s a real upside to downsizing, according to a growing legion of tiny house devotees. It’s liberating to be able to slash housing expenses — no small matter in San Diego’s pricey housing market — and to shed accumulated stuff.

There’s also the cool factor of living in a home that’s perfectly sized for your needs, is a space-planning marvel and is designed to minimize environmental impacts.

To those who live in tiny houses on wheels, though, the biggest draw is the freedom to easily pick up, change neighborhoods and explore the country.

All of those aspects will be on display as TinyFest California 2021 presents its second annual tiny home festival next Friday through Sunday at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. in Del Mar. The festival will adhere to social distancing practices and mask-wearing indoors.

High ceilings, big windows and a loft bedroom show modern farmhouse flair in this spacious model from Tiny Mountain Houses in Silverton, Wash.

(Courtesy of Tiny Mountain Houses)

The family-friendly festival inside Bing Crosby Hall will showcase tiny houses to tour, as well as speakers, workshops and vendors in a Simple Living Marketplace. Visitors can tour little houses from professional builders and DIYers, as well as tiny houses on wheels, backyard cottages, shipping container homes, vans and bus conversions (“skoolies”). The event will include live music and entertainment.

Keynote speaker will be Zack Giffin of the A&E network show, “Tiny House Nation.” Other speakers include Lindsay Wood of Experience Tiny Homes, Nick Mosley of California Tiny Homes, Genny Crane of Rebuilding Green and Tiny Now, and architecture professor Diana Arredondo of Southwestern College. Presentations throughout the weekend will cover a wide range of tiny house topics, including understanding zoning and building codes, building vs. buying, and what to expect when living tiny, as well as stories of the journeys that tiny house dwellers have experienced. Visitors are encouraged to bring questions.

Breezy style meshes with comfortable touches in this trailer from Wanderlust Vintage Trailers.

(Courtesy of Wanderlust Vintage Trailers)

Wanderlust Vintage Trailers of Los Angeles customizes vintage models for road-trip adventures.

(Courtesy of Wanderlust Vintage Trailers)

San Diego is one of numerous cities that have approved ordinances making it easier to add accessible dwelling units (ADUs) to backyards of single-family residences. These mini-housing options provide a more affordable option to residents who might not otherwise be able to afford a home of their own.

The American Tiny House Association will also host a pre-festival symposium from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, with local city, county and state officials expected to attend to discuss the future of movable tiny housing in California.

For many in this time of COVID-19, “going tiny” is more than just buying and moving into a tiny home, said TinyFest CEO Renee McLaughlin. It’s about “sustainability, autonomy, flexibility, and freedom — financial freedom, freedom of mobility, and freedom from stuff and stress,” she said.

“It’s also about having fun!” McLaughlin pointed out.

TinyFest hours will be noon to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $15, or a $5 streaming option is available for those unable to attend in person. For tickets or information, visit tinyfest.events/tickets_ca.

Fairgrounds parking is $10. No pets allowed, except for certified service animals.