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Flocks of old and young horror fans shuffled through art prints and collectibles of their favorite horror movie characters, including Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers and Ghostface. Once attendees reached a table selling taxidermy and glass jars of wet specimens, from cats to octopi, some gasped in shock while others stared in awe.

“We certainly wouldn’t show up at grandma’s bake sale,” Alyssa Estus, the owner of From the Dirt Craftworks, said. “We go to places where the folks who tend to go there are different.”

Creepy Cuse, formerly Syracuse’s Annual Horror & Sci-fi Garage Sale, returned for its 14th year on Saturday. Long-time horror fanatics Jason West and David Royal hosted the event with sponsor Funky Town Comics & Vinyl. Over 35 vendors sold toys, comics, homemade crafts and more.

Creepy Cuse formed in 2010 after West, an avid collector of horror memorabilia, struggled to sell his collectibles. West said many conventions required a $250 to $300 vendor’s fee, which inspired him to create his own event free of charge. With a common interest in all things horror, West, Royal and Sam Thomas joined forces to bring an affordable, family-friendly event to Syracuse.

“All three of us are really big collectors and we love thrifting and going to garage sales,” Royal said. “And we were like, ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be cool if we got a lot of like-minded horror people together and just traded and bought and sold stuff that we love?’”

Since then, Creepy Cuse has become a staple for horror fans and artists in the local community to connect over shared interests. As a taxidermist, Estus said her work can spark controversy or uncomfortable feelings at some events. Because of this, she said she vends at comic cons, reptile conventions and events like Creepy Cuse where attendees respect her work.

“Really cool, down-to-earth people tend to appreciate our stuff, even if it’s not quite for them,” Estus said. “They’re not going to give us any slack.”

Estus said she was grateful for the appreciation her work received from other women and young girls at the event. Since her husband helps sell her work, Estus said passersby often assume that he is the taxidermist.

One girl who visited the display was amazed when she learned Estus was the artist. The girl opened her jacket to reveal a possum on her shirt, which matched Estus’ business shirt.

“It’s great to be able to share that with people,” Estus said. “It’s not that weird, but you have a friend in the weirdness.”

Maxine Brackbill | Senior Staff Photographer

Andi Daniel sold upcycled earrings with dolls heads, hands and fake knives at Creepy Cuse. Event organizers aimed to engage many generations of horror fans.

Eerie Rottica, a local burlesque performer and producer, also found like-minded people at Creepy Cuse. Science fiction media like “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” inspired Rottica to produce “Crown of Bones,” a comic book about five monster queens who must assemble an ancient weapon to defeat their enemy, Kethrilak.

To fund the comic book and accompanying burlesque show, Rottica sold handmade jewelry at Creepy Cuse. Her table included dozens of Halloween-themed charms, including pumpkins, spiderwebs and ghosts meant for customizable bracelets. Though this is Rottica’s first time creating and selling jewelry, attendees supported her goal of releasing a comic book.

The community at Creepy Cuse spanned multiple generations. With over 10 years of history, West said he’s seen people who attended the event as children create their own horror-themed art once growing into teenagers and adults. Loyal attendees also watched his children grow up with each passing event, West said.

Royal said he would point to West’s daughter, Shiloh, named after a character in the horror movie “Repo! The Genetic Opera,” and say, “‘You see that girl right there? When we did our first sale, she was literally the size of a bread loaf.’”

Uniting multiple generations of horror fans is important to West and Royal. Each vendor passed out candy to young trick-or-treaters dressed in costumes ranging from Wednesday Addams to Disney princesses. Others sold horror DVDs, video games and various collectibles from the 80s and 90s to appeal to older attendees.

“I’m glad that our event was able to bring those types of people together for our generation, the older generation and the younger generation, too,” Royal said.

Published on October 27, 2024 at 10:23 pm

Contact: Jepryor@syr.edu