On the Road with the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
From a small hall in Tulsa to a multi-country tour, Michelle Cozzaglio takes us inside her traveling artist-led market grounded in community
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
Images courtesy of the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
It didn’t start as a multi-country tour. It started in a Legion in Tulsa, with a handful of vendors and a nagging concern internally wagering whether anyone else would show up for something this specific.
They did. And, they kept coming back.
Since then, the Oddities & Curiosities Expo has grown in size and in reach, expanding across cities, borders and communities that all recognize the same pull. What began as a focused market has evolved into something larger, without losing the distinct feel that made it work in the first place.
At its core, it offers connection for a subculture that seeks the strange. A place to meet the artists, spend time with the work and be surrounded by people who already understand what drew you there.
We sat down with co-founder Michelle Cozzaglio to discuss about how it all came together, and what it takes to keep that energy intact as it continues to grow.
Before the Expo was conceived, what first drew you toward all things strange and unusual? Do you remember when your fascination shifted from curiosity into something more?
My partner Tony and I both grew up in the punk scene, so we've been "different" since we were young teenagers! Colourful hair, alternative outlooks, tattoos, etc. We've always been drawn to being different and carving our own path. We organized smaller music-related markets for a few years before creating the Oddities & Curiosities Expo. There was a moment we were like, "What if we had an event focusing more on dark art, taxidermy and other unusual art pieces instead of just music?" And the Oddities & Curiosities Expo was born. I could have never dreamed it would be what it is today, that's for sure.
Images courtesy of the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
The Expo has grown into the largest traveling event of its kind—when you think back to that first iteration, what did it feel like on the ground? What were you hoping people would experience walking through the doors?
The first expo was in 2017 in Tulsa, OK. We hosted it in a small American Legion building because we weren't sure how it would go or if people would be interested. We had about 25 local vendors set up and at the time it felt huge, exciting and new! We hoped people would find the unusual art, taxidermy and darker vibe as fascinating as we did. At the time, we had a vision but weren't sure of the experience and identity just yet. As soon as I saw people's faces light up when they entered the room, I knew this could be something truly special if we invested the time and energy to grow it. Now days we have over 200 vendors in 45 cities across 3 countries.
Images courtesy of the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
There’s a strong sense of identity across every stop, even as the vendors shift from city to city—how do you maintain that through-line while still allowing each location to feel specific to its own community?
While many of our vendors travel across the country with us, we also prioritize including local spooky artists and related small businesses in each city or state for the expo. We want each city we're in to feel like that city's local alternative community meet-up. A place where you can see all your friends, meet new people, buy art, and just hang out all day! We try to mix up vendors each year in every city, so locals can still see their favourites from coast to coast alongside their hometown staples.
Images courtesy of the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
You’ve described the Expo as a space for people who may not have always felt like they “fit” elsewhere. Was that sense of belonging something you were consciously building from the start? Or, did it emerge as the event grew?
Since Tony and I grew up being different and not "fitting in" with the norm, we always crafted any event we hosted to be a welcoming space for alternative communities. As the Oddities & Curiosities Expo grew over the years, we quickly saw the community aspect among both our vendors and attendees strengthening. What started as just an event for shopping for weird stuff became a place where people meet, make lifelong friends, and feel a sense of belonging. We were always conscious of it, but it really blossomed into something so incredibly special and far beyond what we could have imagined.
Images courtesy of the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
Beyond the marketplace itself, the workshops and live performances bring an added layer of engagement to the programming. How do you balance education, entertainment and that element of discovery?
From the very beginning we had live performances and thought it would give a bit of a "circus/sideshow" vibe to the expo to have someone on stage swallowing a sword. I mean, how cool? Not only do you get to walk around and see cool art and shocking things you definitely don't see for sale every day, but you also get to see dangerous stunts performed by professional weirdos!
Images courtesy of the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
We thought it would have a fun element to keep people engaged throughout the day. We added classes in 2019 on a whim, unsure if people were actually interested in investing the time to learn taxidermy. Turns out, lots of people are interested! Over the years we've grown our classes exponentially and now offer not only taxidermy classes but also entomology and wet specimen classes. Anyone can participate in a class, experience is not necessary. We keep them smaller and intimate and think this adds another inviting and creative space for those interested in learning a deeper appreciation for unusual art.
Images courtesy of the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
The Expo sits at an interesting intersection of art and history as well as subculture—from taxidermy to antique curiosities—what do you think draws people in emotionally?
We strive to have a little something weird for everyone. Because of that, I think it allows such a large demographic to attend and feel the emotions of being among the energy that our expo holds. It feels good to be surrounded by cool art and have a real conversation with the artist. It feels good to wander through an antique booth and learn the history of weird old items from a passionate, knowledgeable person. It also feels good to just see other people enjoying themselves around you. I’ve heard this many times from our attendees and vendors and I think the overall experience draws people in emotionally year after year.
Images courtesy of the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
As the event has expanded internationally, what have you noticed about how communities in different regions engage with “oddities”? Are there subtle shifts in taste, or does the fascination feel universal?
It feels very universal! When we expanded to Canada and Australia, we weren't sure if people would have the same enthusiasm as they do in the States. Happy to report that they absolutely do. People all over the world seek a place where they feel welcome and surrounded by like-minded people. It's been an amazing journey to expand to other regions and see how similar it really is.
Images courtesy of the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
When you step back and look at what you’ve built—an incredible traveling, artist-driven, community-rooted event—what feels most important to protect as it continues to grow?
Tony and I started this from nothing. It's our passion. We LOVE what we do and we love what it's evolved into. The general community aspect of the expo remains our priority as we continue to grow. We're never done learning, every event teaches us something new that we can apply in the future to improve processes or experiences for both our vendors and attendees. Providing an inspiring safe place for everyone involved has been an incredible journey that we look forward to protecting for years to come.
Images courtesy of the Oddities & Curiosities Expo
That sense of scale is easy to focus on, but that’s only part of the story. What Michelle and her team have built work because their first priority is connecting to the community they serve, and continuing to learn along the way.
The Oddities & Curiosities Expo continues to grow, adding new cities and new faces, while keeping that same vibe intact. You walk in, and it still feels like you’ve found your people.
For a subculture that seeks the strange, spaces like this matter. They give it somewhere to gather in real life.
Have you been to the Oddities & Curiosities Expo in your city? Where are you hoping they come next?!
Tell us in the comments and subscribe to receive our free monthly digital issue to your inbox, including a first look at dark feminine style, the chance to vote on next month’s stories, and a preview of upcoming giveaways.
