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NOVI — Connoisseurs of all things different, strange, odd, gross and just plain weird have been coming out in droves to the annual Oddities and Curiosities Expo over the last few years, so much so that the show’s owners found it necessary to make it a two-day exposition in a larger space at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.
“I just think, like, our show continues to grow because it’s very, like, community driven,” said Michelle Cozzaglio, who co-owns and curates the show alongside her husband, Tony. “I mean, we promote to people who are into this type of stuff, and because we also try to have something weird for everyone, I think we get so many different types of demographics out. Like my parents can come and find something, and they’re not into this at all, and you also get the serious oddities collectors, you know, people in alternative culture. So, really I just think like it’s continuing to gain success just due to the fact that we’re very welcoming and inclusive to everyone.“
According to Cozzaglio, over 12,000 people attended the one-day show in 2023. She said at her last count on Sunday, the show had over 16,000 attendees over the two-day period. Cozzaglio said that the biggest complaint last year was that there were just too many people in such a small space, over a short period of time. Hence, the need to expand, which she said was “a good problem to have.”
“It’s been, like, a really amazing time here this year,” said Cozzaglio.
The show featured sideshow performances such as sword swallowing and people walking on glass, along with all sorts of vendors catering to everything from taxidermy to books, posters and even witch hats.
The two-day show allowed for 40 additional vendors to attend and also made it possible for guests to participate in two different taxidermy projects. For an additional fee, guests were able to learn how to stuff a rat on Saturday and a jackalope on Sunday. In addition, the show also offered entomology classes, twice each day, where participants learned to pin butterflies.
“It’s like a quick fun little activity to do,” said Cozzaglio. “So, that’s been a really cool addition this year. “
Javier Alvarez, of Taylor, said that he was attracted to the show because of the location, as well as his personal interest in things that are “dark, supernatural and satanic.” Alvarez said he really enjoyed the show, but wished that they had incorporated some live music and suggested that they stay open later on Sunday, as he believes people tend to have more time to spend on Sundays.
“I love oddities. It’s one of my favorite things to collect, whether it’s wet specimens, skulls — doesn’t matter,” said Loraine Choate, of Southgate. “There’s so many creative people here you never know what you’ll find.”
Choate and her partner, Elias Bloom, of Southgate, are both interested in taxidermy. Bloom even purchased a taxidermied duckling. The couple said they hope to take advantage of the taxidermy class next year, but the additional cost of upward of $100 is definitely a factor.
Author Amanda Wooner said she tends to do more academic presentations on the topics of her books, such as the paranormal, supernatural and vampires, but really enjoys the Oddities and Curiosities Expos and all the different people. She said she likes talking with other vendors and seeing what they create. She said they “all have that same kind of weird little fire inside,” and she enjoys seeing the different ways it is interpreted.
Graphic designer and owner of Electric Vector Gary Arnett, of Ferndale, has been touring as a vendor with the expo since 2018 on the recommendation of a friend. He said that the show expanded to two shows at every city this year.
“Last year they were testing it a little bit, and I want to say two-thirds were one-day. This year they are all two-day,” Arnett said. “In some cities it feels like we might be splitting the crowd, but that’s also a learning curve.”
He said that some people might think that they have time to just go the next day and then get busy and forget to go, but in other cities it is advantageous to have the two days. He said he likes doing the Detroit show, as it is his hometown show and he has a lot of returning fans looking to see what he has that is new and different.
“It’s just nice to make those connections, because not everyone is weird, but when you find those connections, it’s nice,” Wooner said.
“The one thing I love about Oddities Expo is that everyone is like unapologetically themselves,” said Wooner. “So, you see people in costume, and the makeup and shirts that say the wildest things, and it’s just fun to see everyone come out for these things.”
Wooner, who is from Buffalo, New York, decided to sell her books at the Detroit show for the first time this year and was particularly impressed with the “wide open spaces” they had, as she said the Buffalo show is at a very tiny venue. She said that the two-day show worked out great for her, as she was really busy both days.
“I think it helps if someone has something scheduled on a Saturday, go on Sunday and vice versa,” she said. “So, the fact that they expanded from one day to two I like because I feel that it spreads out the mayhem a little bit.”
