Latest news with #unusual
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Celebrate the Weird and Wonderful: The Oddities and Curiosities Expo Arrives in Providence
PROVIDENCE, R.I., July 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Brace yourselves for the strangest and most exciting event of the year as The Oddities and Curiosities Expo, the ultimate celebration of all things peculiar and extraordinary, returns to Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, RI on July 26th and 27th. Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased at The Oddities and Curiosities Expo is a one-of-a-kind traveling showcase that brings together hundreds of oddity vendors and artists from across the country, creating a playground for the strange and unusual. Here, the weird, wonderful, and downright bizarre unite in a fascinating display of the extraordinary, providing a platform for vendors and artists to connect with a community of like-minded individuals. The event will travel coast to coast, visiting 40 cities in the United States and Canada in 2025. Attendees can browse and shop for rare and unique items, including taxidermy, preserved animal specimens, dark artistry, original horror and Halloween-inspired artwork, antiques, metaphysical accoutrements, handcrafted oddities, skulls, bones, and funeral collectibles. Beyond shopping, the expo offers an immersive experience with photo opportunities, tarot readings, sideshow performances, and various concessions to keep attendees entertained throughout the day. Founded in Oklahoma by Michelle and Tony Cozzaglio, The Oddities and Curiosities Expo has hosted hundreds of events across North America, recognizing a growing demand for this unique large-scale gathering. "We created this expo to give odd small businesses and artists a space where they can thrive," said Michelle. "Our goal is to build a community where people feel safe to be themselves, surrounded by like-minded folks who appreciate the weird and wonderful." With its strong DIY ethos and a commitment to excellence, the expo continues to grow year after year. "Our success comes from working with the best exhibitors in the world and curating every event to deliver exactly what our attendees want to see," Michelle added. "We're always looking for ways to evolve and make the experience even better for both our exhibitors and our guests." As the original, curated event of its kind, the Oddities and Curiosities Expo remains the leading destination for the wonderfully of The Oddities and Curiosities Expo can also purchase tickets to a day-long taxidermy class where they can learn to make their own full-sized taxidermy mount, which will vary by city, or insect pinning classes. In all classes, hosted by The Sleeping Sirens, students will work with sustainably sourced specimens to learn the basics of taxidermy and entomology and will be provided with a variety of tools and materials. It is important to note: All animals in the taxidermy class and other parts of the show – like preserved specimens – are sourced ethically and died of natural causes. EVENT INFOThe Oddities and Curiosities Expo will take place Saturday, July 26th from 10am to 6pm and Sunday, July 27th from 10am to 4pm at Rhode Island Convention Center at 1 Sabin St, Providence, RI 02903. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Children 12 and under are free. The event is all ages - however, parents are advised to use their best judgment about if their children should attend. Tickets can be purchased at The Jackalope Taxidermy Class will be held on Saturday, July 26th, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM for $225. The Beetles and Spiders Beginner Entomology Class sessions will be held on Sunday, July 27th, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and again from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM for $150. All classes will be hosted by Heather Clark of Sleeping Sirens Art & Oddities with built in breaks for lunch and exploring the expo. Materials and tools are provided, and tickets include admission to the expo. For additional information, follow The Oddities and Curiosities Expo on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. ContactDayna Castillopress@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Oddities & Curiosities Expo Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
CBS News
17-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
The majestic "Toaster Tree" of Pope County, Minnesota
The town of Sedan, Minnesota, has gone out of its way to celebrate an every-day household item. Surrounded by scenery, Terrace Mill is an historic site in Pope County. It offers peace and tranquility, while its neighbor down the road offers kitchen appliances. Sedan is a few miles from the mill and its population is 45. It's a "don't blink or you'll miss it" type of town. But when the tree outside Mayor Keith Kirchhevel's house began to sprout toasters, visitors didn't blink — they stared. It all began 27 years ago when his small appliance went haywire. "Smoke was coming out so I just pulled it out. There was snow on the ground, so I threw it outside," Kirchhevel said. Later, when his daughter was talking about how much snow there was in the yard, Kirchhevel tied the toaster to a branch so they could remember how the high drifts were after they melted. "There were a couple of pranksters, I'd say. The next day they were here putting up more toasters," he said. "It's just never stopped." For a while, every day was like Christmas morning, with Kirchhevel waking up to find something new. There are now nearly 50 toasters in the tree. And from time to time, other odd and unusual things have been added. "There was a whole boat in this tree once," he said. Kirchhevel had to take that one down because it didn't fit the countertop appliance criteria. He made an exception for neighbor and city clerk Julie Lloyd and her pizza oven. "Since it had a heater element in it, it qualified for the project," Lloyd said. If anything, she's noticed more traffic in this one-horse town. "Cars going really slow and then, they'll stop, and a group of women will get out and get their picture taken with the toaster tree," Lloyd said. It's even "popped up" on the internet, gaining its own following in the U.S. and overseas. Lloyd once got a Facebook message from China. "I had to send it to my foreign exchange student to translate it for me, and they asked me about this idea and how much we charge for it [laughs]," she said. Toaster tourism has become a thing in this small town, and it shows no sign of burning out. "It's kind of neat. You go places and if you say 'Sedan,' this is what they know about," Kirchhevel said. "We enjoy life and we like people," Lloyd said. "Come and check us out." The "Toaster Tree" is located on Marsh Street, which is essentially Sedan's main street.
