(COLORADO SPRINGS) — On Saturday and Sunday there was a gathering of all things creepy, crawly, and creative at this spring’s “Oddity and Bizarre Expo” at the Colorado Springs Event Center.

If you are looking to kick-start the spooky season, you might have missed your chance. Some people traveled across the country for the event that is right in Colorado Springs.

Artists, performers, cosplayers, and collectors of the strange and bizarre, gathered together on Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the spooky season and the delights of being different.

“It’s like eclectic meets metaphysical, but also your average person weirdo art, if that makes it,” says Madeline Fabris the owner of Mattie and the Kitties art.

The Oddity Fear Fest offers everything to intrigue and excite the eccentric including strange and unusual art, steampunk, odd decor, morbid taxidermy, creepy dolls, paranormal activity, and a haunted house.

“I think my favorite thing so far, I’m going to have to be some of the taxidermy things that I’ve seen, especially the butterflies and insects and some of the creepy crawlies,” says Star Sprengle an enthusiast of the event.

The event hosted more than 185 vendors, attracting more than seven thousand people this weekend.

Tiphani Ruark the show manager of the Oddity Expo says that the goal is not only to offer a safe space for self-expression but to give local creatives the opportunity to showcase their work.

“This allows them to sell and do their hobby and make money off their hobby, and then hopefully the goal is, you know, quit a full-time corporate job and do their artwork full-time,” she said.

Fabris said that she is grateful for the opportunity to show her work. She began as a graffiti artist in Chicago and recently quit her full-time job as a waitress to focus on her artwork.

“I don’t make quite as much as I did working a full-time job, but I would much rather be like kind of broke and working for myself that any day other than like serving tables or making coffee and stuff like that, this is much more fulfilling,” she added.

Jennifer Fisher the owner of Mystery of 13 Souls Production, says that this is her third year hosting the haunted house, and loves being able to do it with her daughter.

“I just love the interaction with the community and the vibe that we set off and to see people’s faces and the entertainment that we provide to the community is just it’s great,” said Fisher.

She said that she spent over four hours getting in costume and plans to bring both her show and creativity to every show in the future.