As Front Range home prices continue to climb, perceptions of the tiny-house trend are starting to shift from a fun novelty to a viable alternative to a traditional single-family home.

We’re guessing that’s why last year’s inaugural Colorado Tiny House Festival was such a success, and why this year’s event will offer an even larger, more diverse array of tiny-living options, including tiny houses on wheels, container homes, a semi-trailer conversion, schoolies (converted school buses), van conversions, teardrops, and yurts. It’s all evidence that a growing number of design minds are tackling the challenge of fitting living, dining, cooking, sleeping, and bathing spaces comfortably and stylishly into a few hundred square feet.

tiny heirloom nursery
The festival features tiny homes chock-full of small-space design ideas, like this Tiny Heirloom home’s nursery built for two. Photo by Allison Shea

If you’re new to the tiny movement, you’ll have fun touring nearly 40 unique small-living structures built by local and national companies including Einstyne Tiny Homes (the festival’s organizer), Colorado Yurt Company, Skoolie Homes, and Happier Camper. But if you’re giving serious thought to going tiny, or even just simplifying your lifestyle, you’ll find a wealth of resources: expert speaker presentations, hands-on workshops, a product and service marketplace, and the opportunity to meet and pick the brains of DIY builders and tiny-home dwellers.

Rainbow Tiny Home Builders’ Blue Columbine luxury tiny home packs a lot of space-saving design details into 284 square feet, including an elevator-accessed loft. Photo courtesy of the Colorado Tiny House Festival.

This year’s festival will take place at the Adams County Fairgrounds at 9755 Henderson Road in Brighton. Hours are Friday, June 22, noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday, June 23, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, June 24, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Single-day adult tickets are $15 at the box office or $10 online. Three-day adult tickets are $30 at the box office or $20 online. Admission is free for children 12 and younger. Learn more and buy tickets at coloradotinyhousefestival.com.