California Roots Festival

Small Kind Soaps was opened in December 2020 by local resident Jon Forbes, showcasing his all-natural soaps and accessories in local events such as The Collective, the Sand City Market and the Monterey Artichoke Festival. It was at one of these events where he met the producers of California Roots, Dan and Amy Sheehan, who inevitably invited him to participate in the 2022 festival.

Jon was asked to provide soaps for VIP gift bags as well as a pop-up station at the Redwood Lounge, which is where I found him. He took up the challenge for one of the largest events he's done yet and brought his A-game, creating an experience Redwood passholders could participate in by cutting and stamping their soap of choice. There were three stamps to choose from and I can personally attest that slicing and hammering that giant, malleable log of freshly made soap is incredibly satisfying.

I chose to stamp the imprint of the Cali Roots logo into my eucalyptus lemon soap, which gives off a brilliantly subtle yet powerfly fresh scent. Each and every soap is all-natural, handmade and one-of-a-kind, and as the smells wafted through the lounge people sniffed their way over with curiosity, enamored by the fragrant, pastel oasis.

Jon has made a name for himself in our community by sticking to a simple rule: "Be kind to ourselves, our community, and our planet. Paying it forward one small act of kindness at a time." He's looking forward to coming back next year and is embracing the vibe, hoping to snag a booth on the main grounds to share his soaps with everyone in 2023.

Small Kind Soaps is based in Seaside, CA, but you can find Jon and his soaps at Farmers Markets around Monterey County on the following dates and locations: Saturdays - Old town Salinas Farmers' market: 9 A.M. - 2 P.M., Sundays - Everyone's Harvest in Marina 10 A.M. - 2 P.M., Mondays - Everyone's Harvest in Pacific Grove 3 P.M. - 7 P.M., Tuesdays - The Farmer's Market at Old Monterey Marketplace 4 P.M. - 8 P.M.