Tiny home convention packs in simple-living tips and demos

The words “tiny house” and “jamboree” seem to go together for some reason—maybe because they both evoke a lightness of spirit along with the light-living style tiny homes and other recent housing movements inspire. (Also convenient: “jamboree” can be shortened to “jam,” which also implies a kind of productive energy and comes in handy when marketing or posting on social media that has character limits.)

Who knows if the organizers of the Tiny House & Simple Living Jamboree put all that thought into its name (probably); the important thing to know is that it will be happening in Austin this week (Thursday, August 23-Saturday, August 25) at the Travis County Exposition Center.

Showcasing the tiny homes that have become a popular component of “simple living” trends over the past several years—meaning, generally, cutting down one’s carbon footprint and general impact on the environment by engaging in mindful practices, using less energy, and cutting back on unnecessary or unwanted possessions (alternately: possessions that don’t spark joy).

The first of its kind to hit Texas, the jamboree/convention is organized by Reed Exhibitions and will feature many products and vendors of such things as eco-friendly products, furniture and decor for tiny living, and more than 60 tiny homes of many varieties (converted school buses, trailers, prefab modular homes, and, we hope, camper vans and RVs). Austin companies showing their wares include ATX Tiny Casas, Volstrukt, Beaver Boxes, Growing Tiny Texas, and Tiny Dome Homes.

The convention will also offer speakers and quite a bit of programming to discuss the way of the tiny. That includes seminars with expert advice on such things as building your own tiny home, a visit to a dentist’s tiny, mobile office (a great idea if you think about it), and an event at which three Austin street artists will create an “Art House” to be donated to Community First! Village, a nonprofit tiny-home community for Austinites without homes.

There are many more seminars, demonstrations, workshops, and the like during the three-day convention, as well as the requisite meetups—or, you guessed it, jams.