For lovers of the strange and unusual, an expo is coming to the Rhode Island Convention Center in June, specifically, with you in mind. The Oddities & Curiosities Expo is a traveling event that showcases a variety of vendors and artists from all around the country, with offerings of all types of the weird. You’ll find items such as preserved specimens, original dark works of art, horror/Halloween-inspired pieces, antiques, handcrafted oddities, creepy clothing, odd jewelry, animal skulls/bones, funeral collectibles, and much more. Outside of this immersive shopping experience, they host acts who perform classic circus/sideshow stunts, like swallowing swords, walking on glass, and feature a ‘human pincushion’ act. They also offer classes that allow students to learn the basics of the amazing craft that is taxidermy. In 2021, they added an incredible traveling museum, which follows the expo to all the cities they visit each year. The museum is curated by The Oddities Museum, and it continually changes, with new, rare, and one-of-a-kind pieces, added to the displays, all the time.
The creators of Oddities & Curiosities Expo, Michelle and Tony Cozzaglio, pride themselves on being a completely do-it-yourself run show, from start to finish.
“We strive to provide a safe place for anyone to come and discover new artists, meet new friends, and be surrounded by an amazing community of like-minded people,” Michelle said. “We find so much joy in being able to provide a place where you can feel at home, among others that share the same interests.”
This husband-and-wife business team started The Oddities & Curiosities Expo in 2017, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with the goal of providing a place for self-proclaimed ‘weirdos,’ to feel at home, a place where anyone can come and be themselves, unapologetically, while being surrounded by a community of like-minded people.
“As collectors of ‘the weird,’ ourselves, we wanted to curate an event that focused on supporting unusual businesses and artists,” Michelle explained. “We could have never dreamed it would turn into what it has today. We are very proud of what we have created, and are constantly striving to do better and to improve our event, each and every year.”
The Oddities & Curiosities Expo is a one-of-a-kind event, the first traveling event of its kind, to exclusively showcase oddity vendors and dark artists at venues all across the country.
“Previous to the Oddities & Curiosities Expo, we organized small, offbeat style events in Tulsa, and at punk festivals,” Michelle said. “Tony, who spent many years touring the world with his band, has always supported all of my crazy ideas of wanting to work for myself and do something with my life that has meaning. When we came up with The Oddities & Curiosities Expo, we spent hours and hours coming up with ideas and formulating a plan to make it happen. We are a perfect match, both in our personal lives, and in business. I couldn’t be happier to be on this adventure together.”
Over the years, they’ve built a reputation for showcasing a wide variety of unique vendors that draw people from all walks of life.
“For our attendees, we strive to provide a show with the best of the best vendors, within our genre,” Michelle said. “We try to have a little something weird for everyone, and have a variety of price points. We want people to leave feeling happy with their purchases. We are constantly growing and changing to be able to provide the best show possible for the people who attend.”
The Oddities & Curiosities Expo will be stopping in Providence, on Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23. This event will be hosted by Rhode Island Convention Center, at 1 Sabin Street, Providence. They’ll only be here for that weekend, before packing up and moving on to the next city, so don’t miss out!
For more information, visit their website: www.oddities and curiosities expo.com.
Instagram: @odditiesandcuriositiesexpo
