The 10th edition of the Market of the Macabre won't just be spooky; the event will also have a soundtrack. WXPN DJ John Morrison will spin records while folks check out items from more than 80 vendors on Saturday at Laurel Hill East Cemetery.
An eclectic array of goods ranging from assorted oddities and taxidermy, antiques, jewelry, spiritual goods, clothing and original artwork will be for sale from noon to 5 p.m.
How could the event not be a blast when such creative vendors as Creep Boutique, The Dusty Druid and The Lucid Graveyard are on hand?
Darksome Arts & Craft artist Lindsay Keating (www.cabinetofcuriousclay.com) is returning for a sixth time since Market of the Macabre is one of her favorite events.
"I love it and it's one of the only markets I'll do," Keating said. "It's super fun. The cemetery is a great setting. Laurel Hill is really beautiful. The people who organize and come out are always great. Part of the reason it's so much fun is because all of the vendors are selling things that are Halloweeny."
Keating crafts spooky objects made of clay. The West Chester resident has been creating and selling her unique wares since 2015. "I've always been a rebel and interested in goth, the subculture and the weird," Keating said.
The Market of the Macabre is one of the most delightfully quirky events in Philadelphia that is truly alternative and eclectic.
"We've prioritized making sure there is representation of artists from different communities," Friends of Mount Laurel Public Programs Manager Brittanie Sterner said. "There's a diverse range of products and price points, from Gothic decor and ethically sourced animal bone jewelry to hand-poured candles, cute plushies, photography and mixed media sculptures and apothecary items. The vision and quality of vendors was curated by Kat Bleiweiss, gift shop manager and programs coordinator at Laurel Hill. They are a young professional with a strong eye and we're really grateful for them and their talents."
Vendors in a cemetery seems odd today. However, when Laurel Hill was founded in the 1830s, rural Victorian cemeteries were places of recreation. "Through public programs we try to make this beautiful outdoor space accessible to everyone, and the Market is one way of doing that," Sterner said. "By featuring a diverse group of artists and vendors of all things magical and morbidly curious, we've been able to hold a community space over the years where people who embrace the wonderfully weird can gather and where death and dying aren't a taboo topic."
A few thousand patrons are expected at the burgeoning event. "The community that has been cultivated among artists and attendees has only grown and deepened over the last decade," Sterner said. "It's a beautiful part of the life of the cemetery. We typically see about 3,000 people come through during the event."
Some vendors come back each year and there are always newbies who sell items. "We do have many who return but we also try to offer the platform to new and emerging vendors," Sterner said. "We focus on local vendors as much as possible."
There will be an array of food trucks and beer from Philadelphia Brewing Company. So it's bottoms up while grooving to tunes in the graveyard while perusing some unusual items.
Market of the Macabre is slated for Saturday at the Laurel Hill Cemetery, 3822 Ridge Ave. Admission is $5 in advance and $10 at the door. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.laurelhillphl.com.
