The judges of the show, Robert Marbury of the Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists and feline wrangler Dorian Devins, co-founder and curator of the Secret Science Club, sat on stage in the background. Nearly 30 contestants filed through showing off their post-life oddities while the packed house applauded for the wildest taxidermy specimen. It got weird…hamsters riding little wooden bikes, Cornish game deer, sloths holding each other dearly, dragons from New Jersey, apes riding gypsy dogs. The most mind blowing was from the all-time grand master of rogue taxidermy, Takeshi Yamada. Takeshi presented one of his freak show babies, a human replica twisted with a fish tail. He even crafted this thing from his own sun burnt skin. Definitely a unique experience with amazing micro-brew beer fueled by The Bell House.

At the end of the night, many creative awards were bestowed to contestants, although the names escape me since I was still recovering from sensory overload.