West Coast Makers kicks off Saint Patrick’s Day festivities with Foodie Fest 2025, a mouthwatering celebration of flavors, culture, and community.
With vendors coming in from all over the Bay Area, everyone was invited to sell and enjoy food at the second installment of this event on March 9 at Chabot College.
“A big part of my organization that I’m proud about is being culturally diverse. We have every background with us, and everybody is welcome with us,” said Tatiana Aguilar, the founder of West Coast Makers.
West Coast Makers is a collective of small businesses in California that provides a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their products. Founded by Aguilar in late 2023, the organization started as a small event and has grown to include over 600 vendors from across the state.
“We try to make sure that everybody has a good experience with us, and that’s kind of why I feel like we have grown; because we care about our vendors,” Aguilar said.
Foodie Fest is just one of the many events West Coast Makers host yearly. As one of their most popular events, it attracted over 115 vendors this year and is expected to grow more in the following years.
Events like these are significant for businesses like Pitas Locas, a restaurant based in Modesto specializing in aguas frescas, a traditional Mexican beverage. They decided to attend Foodie Fest this year because of the event’s strong reputation and the sense of community it fosters.
“We usually search for the hottest markets where the community comes together,” said Pitas Locas employee Melissa Salcedo. “Events like these build the community because they have so many different types of foods and cultures, and a majority of the vendors have very unique personalities.”
One thing West Coast Maker prides itself on is the diversity, ensuring a wide range of vendors and cultures were represented at the event. From handbags to jewelry or barbecue to Mexican food, there was no lack of diversity to behold.
While some saw the festival announcement over social media, others just saw the event while walking around their neighborhood and decided to join it.
“We were here for a basketball tournament across the way and saw what was happening in the community. We decided to walk on over and try all the different local vendors,” said Bay Area local Channing Jackson. “Shopping locally is so important, especially with the economy now.”
Overall, the core goal of the event was to support small businesses and provide locals with a space to share their love of food and community. West Coast Makers are committed to keeping the event’s momentum going with each event they plan after the next.
“Supporting small businesses and entrepreneurship is so important to our family, as well as trying different foods and drinks. Events like these help our community, and nobody can resist some good food even if they tried,” Jackson said.
