The first official National Tiny House Jamboree will take place in Colorado Springs Aug. 7 to Aug. 9. The free, three-day festival is hoping to encourage the spirit of the tiny house movement, a social phenomenon rooted in the counter-cultural idea that it is better to live small than large.The festival includes exhibits, education, advocacy, food, live entertainment and more. The jamboree promises big fun in a small space. The main attraction is a community style display area where more than 20 professional tiny house builders will be showcasing their tiny models. Attendees will have the opportunity to take tiny tours, meet the designers, and get first-hand knowledge of several unique options for modern tiny living.Also included are celebrity speakers, including Derek “Deek” Diedricksen, a tiny house designer and host for HGTVí Andrew Morrison, a tiny house designer and advocate with more than five million YouTube views of his own tiny home; and Jay Shafer, known as the pioneer of the tiny house movement, who popularized the idea of tiny living with an appearance on Oprah in 2007.The National Tiny House Jamboree’s founding sponsor is EcoCabins. Non professional builders should not be deterred, many attendees are planning to bring their DIY dwellings. Sunday’s activities feature a car show type display, where non-professional builders can show and browse designs.Exhibits include solar, wind and other alternative power sources; tiny appliances; tiny furniture; and for the very brave ó composting toilets. Live music will get under way in the evenings on the Gypsy Wagon Stage, a state-of-the-art portable venue that is, of course, tiny.The National Tiny House Jamboree is free to the public, but pre-registration is required. Visit http://tinyhousejamboree.com to register.The event takes place at The Western Museum of Mining and Industry; 225 North Gate Blvd. in Colorado Springs.
