Chicago Oddities Flea Market: A Curated Showcase of Macabre Artifacts and Fringe Culture

Chicago Oddities Flea Market offers a curated, tactile alternative rooted in historical materiality. Scheduled for May 3 and 4, 2025, at Morgan Manufacturing in Chicago’s West Loop, the event brings together a select group of vendors, artists, and collectors whose work engages with anatomical preservation, natural history, occult symbolism, and antique medical artifacts. Founded by artist and collector Ryan Matthew Cohn, the market is noted for its rigorous curatorial framework, with participants selected for the historical, cultural, or artisanal relevance of their contributions. Designed as more than a commercial venue, the event functions as a temporary exhibition of uncommon and often overlooked objects, organized around themes of mortality, scientific inquiry, and ritual practice.

Now in its fifth year in Chicago, the market continues to grow in both scale and cultural visibility. Its appeal reaches beyond a niche collector base to engage a wider public increasingly drawn to subcultural identity, countercultural aesthetics, and objects that challenge normative ideas of beauty or value. Attendees—ranging from museum professionals and artists to casual onlookers—encounter a curated landscape shaped by Cohn’s longstanding interest in the macabre and the medicalized body. Within this environment, items typically relegated to archives, laboratories, or cabinets of curiosity are recontextualized as part of a living cultural dialogue. As the 2025 edition opens its doors, it does so not just as an event, but as a sustained act of cultural curation—where commerce, history, and identity converge.

Curator of the Uncanny: Ryan Matthew Cohn’s Vision

At the heart of the Chicago Oddities Flea Market stands Ryan Matthew Cohn, a curator whose professional trajectory has long gravitated toward the macabre. A New York–based artist and collector, Cohn first came to public attention through his anatomical reconstructions on the Discovery Channel’s Oddities, a series that chronicled his fascination with esoteric artifacts and medical history. Since then, he has emerged as a leading figure in the niche realm of antiquarian collecting, producing work that has been exhibited at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York and the Roq La Rue gallery in Seattle. His practice is grounded in both fine art and anatomical preservation, drawing on centuries-old scientific and cultural traditions to explore themes of mortality, decay, and ritual.

Cohn’s role in The Oddities Flea Market extends far beyond that of an organizer. As co-founder and principal curator, he selects the participating vendors based on what he describes as “the quality and rarity of their wares,” a phrase that recurs across the event’s official communications. Alongside Regina M. Rossi—his creative and business partner—Cohn has transformed what could otherwise be a themed market into a highly curated, interdisciplinary experience that intersects with museum culture, Gothic revivalism, and alternative subcultural identity. The duo’s editorial oversight ensures that each installment of the market is conceptually coherent, with every exhibitor contributing to a shared visual and historical vocabulary rooted in the macabre.

In recent public interviews, Cohn has articulated the broader ethos behind The Oddities Flea Market. While the appeal of taxidermy, anatomical relics, and arcane artifacts may seem niche, he maintains that the fascination with death and the unknown is near-universal. “People in general inherently have this interest in the macabre or things that are out of the ordinary,” he told Antiques and the Arts Weekly, suggesting that the draw of the market lies in its ability to frame this curiosity within a communal setting. The Chicago edition, like its counterparts in other cities, is designed to function as a gathering place for people who share this sensibility—whether they are collectors, scholars, artists, or casual admirers of the obscure. The experience is not simply transactional, but immersive, providing a rarefied space where cultural taboos are not only acknowledged but examined through the lens of history and craft.

The curatorial approach also reflects Cohn and Rossi’s longstanding investment in storytelling. Their recently published memoir, ‘The Witch’s Door,’ recounts their joint adventures sourcing rare objects and navigating the often insular world of antiquarian trade. It offers a personal counterpoint to the market’s public face, revealing the motivations, ethical considerations, and aesthetic judgments that underpin each curated selection. In many ways, the book serves as a textual extension of the market’s mission—to foster critical appreciation for the artifacts of death, decay, and superstition not as spectacle, but as meaningful cultural objects.

As The Oddities Flea Market returns on May 3 and 4, 2025, Cohn’s vision continues to shape the event’s identity—not merely as a commercial fair, but as a site of cultural encounter. His influence is visible in every decision, from the exhibitors selected to the language used in promotion. It is a curatorship that blends expertise with instinct, one that situates the odd and the obscure not on the margins of taste, but at the center of a broader conversation about what it means to collect, to remember, and to confront the unknown.

The Oddities Flea Market: Spooky Delights

The 2025 edition of the Chicago Oddities Flea Market will unfold within the industrial confines of Morgan Manufacturing, a venue located in the city’s West Loop district that has increasingly become associated with design-forward cultural events. Scheduled for May 3 and 4, the market adopts the tagline “Spooky Delights in Chicago,” a phrase that belies the event’s methodological approach to curation. Organized by Cohn and Rossi, the market is described on its official platform as “a premier venue for purveyors of the unusual and the macabre,” framing it not simply as a transactional marketplace, but as a spatial encounter with history, science, and fringe culture. Exhibitors are selected based on the specificity and rarity of their contributions, resulting in a market that functions as much like a traveling cabinet of curiosities as a commercial venue.

Visitors can expect a highly structured experience designed to manage both atmosphere and accessibility. The event will operate on a timed admission schedule, with VIP access from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day, followed by general entry from 1 to 6 p.m. Ticketing is capped to avoid overcrowding and to preserve the quality of interaction between exhibitors and attendees. This level of oversight reflects a broader commitment by the organizers to maintain the market’s curatorial integrity. Rather than allow for open registration or vendor self-selection, each local dealer is directly vetted and invited by Cohn and Rossi, ensuring that the offerings adhere to the thematic and aesthetic guidelines they have established over years of experience.

The venue will also feature a full-service bar, reinforcing the event’s atmosphere as both marketplace and social gathering. Positioned at the intersection of cultural heritage, subcultural expression, and artisanal craftsmanship, The Oddities Flea Market continues to distinguish itself through spatial intentionality and editorial oversight—elements that extend well beyond the transactional core of a traditional flea market.

Curated Curiosities: Exhibitors and Artifacts

At the core of The Oddities Flea Market’s distinctive appeal lies its carefully selected roster of exhibitors, each contributing to a broader curatorial narrative that privileges rarity, historical depth, and thematic cohesion. The 2025 edition will host more than fifty vendors, including artists, collectors, and specialty dealers whose work spans disciplines such as anatomical preservation, taxidermy, natural history, occult symbolism, and antiquarian science. Among those confirmed are Oddevil Antiques and Miss Havisham’s Curiosities, both known for their collections of antique medical instruments and anatomical illustration.

On the other hand, dealers like Oracle Natural Sciences and Beldam Butterflies will present preserved insect specimens and natural history displays, while others—including Veneration of Light and Century Guild—will focus on ethically sourced taxidermy and osteological collections. These vendors are not generalists but specialists, often working with museums, universities, or niche collectors, and their participation reflects the event’s editorial commitment to expertise and authenticity.

The offerings go beyond traditional collectibles to include a wide range of original artworks and artisanal pieces. Occult-themed jewelry by Alice Jacques Designs and bone-inspired adornments from byVINNIK provide attendees with handcrafted interpretations of esoteric symbols, while horror-themed visual art from spaces such as Sideshow Gallery contributes to the event’s immersive aesthetic. Also notable is the presence of Madame ZuZu’s, a hybrid tea salon and art venue co-founded by Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, which will bring a curated selection of teas and design objects to the market.

Complementing the exhibits are food and novelty vendors such as Spiritus Coffee Co., Empanadus, Bad Channel, and Pie, Pie My Darling—local businesses whose culinary offerings range from Argentine empanadas to horror-themed macarons and vegan pastries. These vendors serve to reinforce the experiential character of the event, transforming the venue into a sensory environment that extends the market’s thematic throughlines across taste, texture, and visual engagement.

What unites these disparate elements is the founders’ insistence on quality and rarity, a standard that underlies every exhibitor’s inclusion. Shoppers can expect a wide spectrum of objects: Victorian-era cabinets of curiosity, antique apothecary equipment, human and animal specimens, rare scientific ephemera, and symbolic artifacts tied to historical rites or occult traditions. The artifacts are not only products for sale but signifiers of a broader cultural sensibility—one that values the past as a site of wonder and inquiry rather than nostalgia. Through this meticulous vendor selection, the Chicago Oddities Flea Market positions itself as both a commercial event and a curatorial enterprise, bridging the private act of collecting with a public encounter with history’s more obscure corners.

Artful Oddities: Photography, Tarot and Tattoos

Beyond the display tables and vitrines filled with rare artifacts, The Oddities Flea Market offers attendees a direct encounter with living traditions of craft and ritual. Among the event’s most anticipated participatory features is the work of artist Carla “Blkk Hand” Rodriguez, a Venezuelan-American tintype photographer based in Minnesota. Known for her command of nineteenth-century photographic techniques, Rodriguez creates portraits using antique cameras, wet-plate chemistry, and hand-finished aluminum plates. The resulting images evoke the somber aesthetic of post-mortem photography and Victorian studio portraiture—genres that resonate strongly within the market’s thematic framework. Rodriguez’s installation not only serves as a site for personalized keepsakes but also reinforces the event’s historical orientation, embedding its visual language in analog media practices largely abandoned in the digital age.

Other offerings bring performance and ritual into the foreground, situating the market as a space where esoteric traditions and popular art forms intersect. Michael Herkes, widely recognized as “The Glam Witch,” will conduct on-site tarot card readings, blending modern witchcraft with theatrical sensibility. His booth is known for its immersive setting—often featuring elaborate costuming, symbolic décor, and a scripted interpretive approach that draws on both spiritual tradition and contemporary queer aesthetics. Herkes’s presence underscores the evolving role of mysticism as a performative and accessible practice, one that is increasingly embraced by younger audiences seeking alternative frameworks for introspection, identity, and cultural expression.

Rounding out the trio of experiential offerings is Revolution Tattoo, a Chicago-based studio known for its contributions to the local alternative art scene. The studio will provide a series of exclusive flash tattoos—pre-designed, limited-edition works that visitors can have inked during the market itself. These flash designs frequently draw on macabre or anatomical motifs, allowing visitors to leave the event with a permanent souvenir that doubles as an artistic statement. As with the tarot readings and tintype photography, the tattoo station turns the act of collecting inward—onto the body—reframing it as a form of embodiment rather than acquisition. Together, these installations illustrate how The Oddities Flea Market merges historical reference with contemporary engagement, expanding its cultural relevance through multisensory participation.

Savory Bites and Spirits: Food & Drink

While The Oddities Flea Market is largely known for its visual and material culture, its culinary offerings are curated with comparable intentionality, designed to extend the event’s thematic resonance into the realm of taste. The food court, comprised of select local vendors, offers an eclectic mix of traditional fare and visually stylized treats that reflect the market’s gothic, whimsical, and historical sensibilities. Among the savory options is Empanadus, a Chicago-based purveyor of handmade Argentine empanadas, whose offerings bring a cross-cultural element to the market’s gastronomic selection. Visitors can also refuel with beverages from Spiritus Coffee Co., whose focus on artisanal preparation complements the market’s broader emphasis on craftsmanship and sensory immersion.

The event’s dessert options are particularly well aligned with its aesthetic orientation. Bad Channel, a horror-inspired macaron vendor, will offer themed confections with visual motifs drawn from cinema and folklore. Their work situates food as a form of pop-cultural commentary, blending culinary artistry with playful subversion. Also returning is Pie, Pie My Darling, a local vegan bakery known for its expressive branding and loyal following within Chicago’s alternative communities. The bakery’s self-description as catering to “the misfit soul” echoes the inclusive, subcultural ethos of the market itself, where identity and taste intersect in both literal and metaphorical ways.

A noteworthy addition to the 2025 market is the presence of Madame ZuZu’s, a Highland Park-based tea house and cultural space co-founded by musician Billy Corgan. In this iteration, the company will operate a sit-down lounge within the market, offering herbal teas, coffee drinks, and light snacks in an environment adorned with vintage records and curated artwork. The lounge introduces a more reflective space within the larger market experience, inviting visitors to pause, engage socially, or observe from a distance. Its inclusion reinforces the event’s interdisciplinary character, bridging the realms of music, food, design, and subcultural hospitality. Through its culinary programming, the market extends its curatorial reach beyond objects and images, shaping a complete sensory landscape in which even a cup of tea or a pastry becomes part of the thematic whole.

After Hours: Sanctum’s Spooky Soirée

Extending the market’s immersive atmosphere into the evening, the Chicago Oddities Flea Market will host an official after-party on Saturday, May 3, 2025, transforming Morgan Manufacturing into a nocturnal venue for music and visual spectacle. Presented by Sanctum, a collective known for curating nightlife experiences that blend dark aesthetics with performative design, the after-party is scheduled to run from 3:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., overlapping with the final hours of the market before evolving into a full-scale evening event. The program features a lineup of DJs, live visuals, and thematic installations that reflect the same curatorial attention present throughout the daytime programming—this time within the framework of dance culture and nightlife.

Billed as a “night of spooky revelry,” the after-party functions as both an extension of the day’s subcultural gathering and a reinterpretation of its visual language. Attendees are invited to remain within the venue as the market floor gives way to a performance space illuminated by moody lighting, atmospheric projections, and a soundtrack steeped in darkwave, industrial, and electronic genres.

The organizers have positioned the event not merely as entertainment but as a communal continuation of the market’s ethos—a space where gothic subculture, experimental art, and social ritual intersect. In doing so, the after-party reinforces The Oddities Flea Market’s identity as more than a commercial or themed event; it is a sustained cultural environment that encourages both reflection and release, seamlessly transitioning from curated display to participatory experience.

Cultivating Curiosity: Community and Culture

More than a venue for exchange, The Oddities Flea Market has come to function as a cultural gathering point for individuals drawn to the obscure, the historical, and the aesthetically off-center. Its core audience comprises a layered cross-section of collectors, artists, and enthusiasts who inhabit various subcultural spaces—ranging from gothic and horror communities to fans of vintage science, anatomical illustration, and ritual art.

Attendees often arrive as much for the social environment as for the vendors themselves, treating the market as a temporary enclave where shared interests in the macabre are not merely tolerated but affirmed. As co-founder Cohn noted in an interview with Antiques and the Arts Weekly, the event’s popularity speaks to a broader cultural condition: “People in general inherently have this interest in the macabre or things that are out of the ordinary.” The market gives tangible form to this shared impulse, offering a physical space where such curiosities are not only validated, but curated with scholarly precision.

The cultural role of the market is further contextualized by its historical and aesthetic references. Framed in part as a contemporary extension of the Victorian “cabinet of curiosities,” the event draws from nineteenth-century traditions of scientific spectacle and Gothic narrative. These influences are evident in the presentation of artifacts, the costuming of certain exhibitors, and the overarching language used in promotional materials—phrases such as “for lovers of the strange and unexpected” deliberately evoke both nostalgia and theatricality. In its current form, the market reflects a convergence of past and present forms of cultural engagement, where the taxidermist, the tarot reader, and the visual artist coexist within a shared interpretive space.

This synthesis of archival and avant-garde sensibilities attracts a diverse cohort of visitors, including museum professionals, underground artists, niche historians, and collectors whose interests would seldom intersect outside such a forum. In shaping this community through deliberate curatorial framing, the market underscores its role not just as an event, but as a sustained cultural experiment—one in which difference is not peripheral, but central to the experience.

Conclusion

As The Oddities Flea Market prepares to open its doors once more, it stands not only as a marketplace but as a considered curatorial endeavor—one that frames fringe interests, historical ephemera, and subcultural aesthetics within a public space of shared inquiry. Organized with a precision that resists spectacle in favor of thematic cohesion, the event reflects a growing appetite for cultural environments that engage the unusual with seriousness, creativity, and care. It draws together collectors, artists, and the curious in a setting that honors the integrity of the objects presented and the communities they represent.

For those who have participated—whether as attendees, exhibitors, or observers—the event often resonates beyond its temporal bounds, offering a moment of recognition and belonging within a world that seldom accommodates the eccentric or arcane. Readers who have encountered similar gatherings, or who find meaning in the preservation of the overlooked and the extraordinary, are invited to reflect on how such spaces shape our understanding of culture’s outer edges and the value we assign to what lies just beyond the familiar.