mISSION
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a marketplace destination to connect with local small businesses — strengthening ties to the local economy and cultivating our ‘Creatives Supporting Creatives’ platform.
Since 2017, we’ve been passionately focused on marketplaces for creatives and entrepreneurs to thrive in the Bay Area, and we will continue to support our local creatives for years to come.
Each Marketplace is produced, juried, and curated in-house by our small yet mighty team. We’re a thoughtful group of creative doers who are inspired to build, cultivate, and foster a creative community… what we call ‘THE HW FAMILY’
Keep an eye out for us at any Marketplace— we’d love to meet you + answer any questions you may have.
Also feel free to reach out to us in the meantime! ☺︎
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HEAD WEST was founded in partnership with community-minded venues such as the SF Ferry Building, Hayes Valley in San Francisco, Downtown Walnut Creek, Downtown San Mateo, The Barlow in Sebastopol, State Street in Los Altos, and Fourth Street in Berkeley.
Our venues are rooted in neighborhood merchant corridors and iconic destinations that provide accessibility for local creatives and their support base. By being strategic on location, we are also able to open up opportunities to engage with all walks of life.
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HEAD WEST maintains a highly inclusive Participant roster, and those that identify as BIPOC, AAPI and/or LGBTQIA+ are encouraged to apply for a No-Cost Community Booth. Participants are selected based on their commitment to their brand, connection to their community + openness around their passion. The Marketplace itself becomes a space where people gather to celebrate community, the arts + crafts movement and culture with neighboring friends.
HEAD WEST is LGBTQ+ owned and allied operated.
MEET THE VENUE TEAM
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Annette + Steve
MARKETPLACE DIRECTOR + VENUE LEADER
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Trixie
ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR
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Tyler + Kandis
VENUE LEADERS
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Kekoa + Oliver
VENUE LEADERS
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Jess + Justin
VENUE ASSISTANTS
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JIMMY
FOUNDER/OWNER
MEET THE CREATIVE TEAM
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BEX MARTIN
A Bay Area native, endlessly inspired by everything this place has to offer—art, culture, food, music, nature, and, most of all, its people. Drawn to documenting the sweet, fleeting moments of life and the meaningful interactions shared as humans. Photography, for Bex, is deeply rooted in community—an opportunity to witness, observe, and preserve the beauty of the human experience.
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MIA TORRES
Born in SF, raised in Marin, and educated in NYC and Toronto, Mia has spent the last 15+ years working in the photo industry as a photographer, editor, production manager, and archivist. In her personal work, Mia explores connections between nature, time, and the psyche through shapes, colors, and textures found in the natural world. She also loves the SF Giants, road trips, sci-fi, and cheese-making.
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NICK NOBREGA
An Event, Corporate and Cinematic videographer based in Sonoma County. Time, experiences, and the moments we share together make up the true value of life. But as a California Bay Area raised resident, I saw how our busy lives can overlap and get in the way from some of these precious moments. From that foundation blossomed my passion for photography and videography, to capture the moment in time as a constant reminder to recall some of our most beautiful memories.
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KIRSTEN OWNBEY
As Social Media Content Creator & Event Photographer, Kirsten combines a passion for storytelling with a deep love for the vibrant energy of the greater Bay Area. Creating video content isn’t just a passion job. It’s her favorite creative outlet, a way to capture authentic moments and share meaningful stories that connect people. Surrounded by the diversity, innovation, and spirit of the Bay Area inspired Kirsten to use her skills to celebrate local voices and businesses. Every project she takes on is a chance to highlight the heart of her community and bring fresh, engaging content to life.
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SORAYA MATOS
Humanitarian, lifestyle, culture photographer. More than a traveler of the globe, I am an explorer of ideas, using photography to document the full spectrum of the human experience while making us wonder about our society in an ever-expanding, interconnected world. Based just north of San Francisco living on a 150-year-old farm on the coast of Tomales Bay - I also work as a local in NY + Portugal, and can often be found elsewhere.
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GRACE SAGER
A freelance photographer/creative residing in SF, spending the majority of extra time collecting vinyl records, watching zombie movies, and wandering around other countries with her husband. Born and raised in Los Angeles, but deeply rooted and based in San Francisco. From that generation, they grew up making mixtapes and taking pictures with disposable cameras.
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JENNY LI
Based in Santa Clara, Jenny Li is an event and lifestyle photographer dedicated to telling the stories of local creatives, entrepreneurs, and community builders. She focuses on a documentary-style approach, capturing the honest, candid moments that bring community spaces to life. Jenny loves supporting independent makers and is excited to elevate local artists as a photographer for HEAD WEST.
ACCESSIBILITY
AFFORDABILITY
DIVERSITY
& EQUITY
In addition to our fight to keep booth fees as low as possible, each year HEAD WEST dedicates upwards of 100 booth spaces to our Community Booth recipients who come from an incredibly diverse pool of applicants.
Each applicant is unique in a way that forms this rainbow of creatives that reflects the cities, neighborhoods, and communities in which we live.
It’s our Mission to champion inclusion while uplifting and carving out equitable space for our BIPOC, AAPI, LGBTQIA+, and Differently-Abled creatives in each marketplace.
As an LGBTQIA+ owned and operated small business, this Mission is inherent in every aspect of our operations, production, promotion, and process.
EARTH IN MIND
HEAD WEST became a CLEAN + GREEN Marketplace in 2020 by decreasing its carbon footprint through purchasing decisions and Participant/Patron involvement. Collective actions were made such as:
PVC/Vinyl/Plastic signage and banners are highly discouraged, with an emphasis on using handmade or eco-friendly fabric materials.
Encouragement of reusable water bottles, reducing single-use plastics during daily operations such as product packaging, and commitment to eliminating landfill waste overall.
Food + Beverage Partners are committed to serving in eco-friendly, compostable bio-ware, in addition to eliminating single-use plastics in their daily operations, as well as landfill waste.
Venue Partners are encouraged to follow the same guidelines as all Participants + Patrons.
Encouragement for reusable bags while plastic shopping bags are strictly prohibited.
Annual contributions made to local, intersectional social justice non-profits that are committed to environmental education, outreach, protection + support at the local level.
MEET THE VENUE PARTNERS
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SF Ferry Building
The SF Ferry Building is an 1898 historic landmark and transit hub located on the Embarcadero, famous for its 245-foot clock tower and bustling gourmet marketplace. It serves as a premier food hall, hosting local artisan shops, restaurants, and a renowned weekly farmers market. It remains an active terminal for San Francisco Bay Ferry services.
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![Downtown Walnut Creek Association]()
Downtown Walnut Creek Association
Walnut Creek Downtown is a Business Improvement District (BID) that promotes the downtown business community through advocacy, beautification, events and marketing. The BID is part of the California Downtown Association and the International Downtown Association where we learn and collaborate with other districts throughout the region, country and world. The WCD staff works with its Board of Directors, City of Walnut Creek and community partners to share with the city’s residents, visitors and hopefully future businesses, all that the downtown has to offer.
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HAYES VALLEY MERCHANT COUNCIL
The mission of the HVMC is founded upon organizing a strong, aligned network of local businesses, working together in integrity, dedicated to customer service and committed to building value for the neighborhood. Our goal is to provide an outreach to the community through organized events, promotions, and beautification in an effort to build a welcoming and vibrant community in which to live and do business, and most importantly, to work together as one, to give businesses a voice on issues that may impact them and the community.
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HAYES VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
The mission of the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association (HVNA) is to promote a sense of friendly association and community involvement throughout Hayes Valley; preserve and reinforce our neighborhood’s cultural and economic diversity, historic character, beauty and architecture; and ensure our community’s constructive participation in San Francisco’s governmental process.
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The Barlow
Located in Sebastopol, California, The Barlow is a 12-acre, open-air, walkable market district and event venue showcasing local makers, artisans, chefs, and vintners. Formerly an industrial apple processing plant, it features "industrial-chic" design, with wineries, breweries, distilleries, restaurants, and unique shops.
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Downtown San Mateo Association
Downtown San Mateo is conveniently located in the heart of the Peninsula, yet worlds away from the hustle of the rest of the Bay. Explore the many sides of their five square blocks brimming with over 100 dining destinations, shopping experiences and local art, in ideal weather day or night.
The diversity of our Downtown entertainment and shopping options is unique for a city of their size. And so is the quality – which you can taste every night at theirMichelin-starred eateries. Read about a few of their Downtown business owners’ commitment to quality and passion for making the heart of their city stronger.
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LOS ALTOS VILLAGE ASSOCIATION
The Los Altos Village Association was founded in the early 1960’s by merchants and property owners who were concerned the opening of several regional shopping centers would lure customers away from the downtown triangle. Then, as it is today, LAVA’s main purpose was to promote downtown businesses via advertising, promotions and special events.
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