The story behind Schenectady's wild & weird Nightmare Market

Hey, 518 readers! We’re back with another Halloween-themed story. This time, we’re taking you behind-the-scenes of Schenectady’s wild and weird Nightmare Market. Their Halloween Bash on Oct. 17 is going to be a Halloween street party like no other.

👻 Speaking of frightful nights, we’ve teamed up Discover Albany’s master storyteller Maeve McEneny Johnson to create a custom ghost tour of the historic Mansion District just for our readers!

Taking place Sat., Oct. 24, the tour finishes in the spooky parlor room of our 1874 home, where we’ll mingle among the spirits, share ghost stories, and enjoy a bourbon tasting courtesy of New Scotland Spirits. Outside in the garden, we’ll have a blazing bonfire and also screening “The Exorcist,” quite possibly the most terrifying movie ever made. Expect more surprises 💀 

The 518 Haunted Mansion Tour & Afterparty is one night only!

🍽️ Also, seats are filling up fast for The 518 Dinner Club on Oct. 28 in Albany (sponsored by The Loft @ 205), and Nov. 12 in downtown Saratoga (sponsored by Gaffney’s & The Parlor).

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

The story behind the wild & weird Nightmare Market

The Nightmare Market was built for the artists who don’t always get invited into the room.

Dark surrealists. Makers of oddities. Artists working in horror, macabre imagery and other alternative styles that don’t fit neatly into traditional galleries or craft fairs.

For founder Kayla Ek, creating a place for this work was personal.

She has made surrealist art since she was 13 and spent years seeing darker work treated as something outside the fine-art mainstream.

“I discovered that I wasn’t the only artist in these categories really looking for these outlets,” she recalls.

That idea led her to establish the Nightmare Market, which launched in Schenectady in 2024 after Kayla and her husband, Jeremy Sporbeck, spent about a year developing the brand.

The timing also placed the market in the middle of a changing downtown Schenectady, where new businesses, events and cultural institutions have all contributed to a revival that’s gaining momentum. Kayla says credit goes to an unusually collaborative effort by civic leaders.

“There is a group of people working downtown, building businesses, that are in positions of community outreach and power that are all on the same mindset of helping each other,” she says. “Schenectady is doing it correctly, and I'm very proud to contribute to that in my own way.”

Indeed, the Nightmare Market has grown into one of Schenectady’s signature events.

Although alternative markets are now trendy, Kayla never wanted it to be just another place where vendors rent a table and hope for a good sales day. The goal is to give artists a platform to introduce their work to new audiences, all while creating a marquee event that challenges people’s idea of “art.”

“We’re building an atmosphere where people who aren’t alternative are welcomed into these spaces,” she says.

Kayla and her husband put considerable effort into making each market feel like an event unto itself. Along with 80 to 100 vendors, there are performances, immersive elements, photography, and collaborations.

The people watching is unmatched. Costumes are very much encouraged, and fans totally get into the Halloween spirit, as you can see here:

In January, the couple put on their most ambitious event to date with the Nightmare Expo, which took over Proctors Theatre for a packed evening of live entertainment, classes and workshops.

Ahead of their Oct. 17 event, Kayla is teasing another reveal about the future of the market. Watch their Instagram for the big news.

The deets: The Nightmare Market Halloween Bash takes place in downtown Schenectady on Sat, Oct. 17, from 5 to 9 pm. Expect to see thousands of people converging on Jay Street, many dressed in their Halloween best. As always, it’s free to attend.

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🍁 Attention leaf peepers, the fall foliage is nearing its peak. And word on the trail is that the colors are more brilliant this season than in recent years. Check out the Fall Foliage Report from I ❤️ NY.

✍️ Did you know that the Union College Sketch Club hosts a nude drawing class on Tuesday evenings? The models are nude, not the participants 😅 Open to artists at all levels, the class is just $10—and free for students!

🎟️ We love it when our friends do cool things. Graham Colligan has launched Towns Of, a local events ticketing platform that is totally free to use. There are no fees or commissions to pay! We’re using it now for The 518 Haunted Mansion Tour & Afterparty.

Live out your childhood dreams on this horse-friendly farmhouse on 11+ acres, complete with a pond, move-in-ready two-stall barn, and paddocks. The bright and warm farmhouse features an open layout, wide-plank wood floors, French doors, with two bedrooms, two baths and an office nook upstairs. The construction is new (2022) and solid, the ponies can move right in, and there’s plenty of space to roam.

The deets: 2 bd, 1 ba, 1200 sq. ft., 11 acres. Days on the market: 1. Asking: $540,000. See the full listing here.

TOP 5 PICKS

⭐️ 🥬 Save a cow and discover just how delicious vegan foods can be at Veg Out 2026, the Capital Region’s only all-vegan food festival. At Troy’s Riverfront Park. Sun, 11a-4p, free.

⭐️ 🥣 At the same time, Chowderfest will be taking over downtown Troy. For two bucks a pop, sample da best chowda that the city has to offer. We’re especially excited to try the birria chowder from La Capital Tacos, the chipotle sausage and shrimp corn chowder from Bootlegger’s, and the anise and ember chowder from The Ruck. Sun, 11a-5p, free.

⭐️ 🏳️‍🌈 Looks like Troy is the place to be this weekend! The 3rd annual Collar City Pride Festival will be setting up at Riverfront Park for an afternoon of drag performances, A Big Gay Market popup, and other live entertainment. Sat, 2-6p, free.

⭐️ 🍺 Get to the Henry Street Block Party in Saratoga to celebrate Henry Street Taproom’s 14th anniversary. The North & South Dakotas will headline, and you can even get an alfresco trim courtesy of the Henry Street Barber Shop. Even better: 10% of bar proceeds will benefit the Franklin Community Center. Kicks off at 2p, Sat, free.

⭐️ 🌶️ You’ve surely seen her bits while scrolling through TikTok. Bold, sassy and very much not afraid to go there, rising comic Natalie Cuomo brings her unapologetically sex-forward standup to the Albany Funny Bone. She’s known for riffing with audience members and mixing crowd work with spicy jokes about dating, sex and relationships. Sat, 6:30p and 9:15p, $27.

This week’s events roundup is brought to you by

Every Sunday this fall, get to Lark Street Tavern for Sunday Music Matinee featuring a rotation of hot local bands. This Sunday, Leslie Barkman & Friends headline. 2:30-5p, free.

On Halloween night, dress up in your best Dolly Parton outfit to win the $100 costume contest at the Dollyween Party 2026! It’s big hair, drink specials, and country karaoke all night long!

THURSDAY

🎬️ Picture Lock One and the Tang Museum have teamed up to present the 71st Flaherty Film Seminar, curated around the theme of “Gestures of Refusal”—exploring works that resist the increasing loss of images’ capacity to affect and transform sensibilities. Thur-Sat.

🍺 The NYS Museum’s popular History & Hops series is back at Common Roots Albany. The topic: “Battleground New York,” exploring the major battles of the Revolutionary War that were fought right here in New York.

FRIDAY

🎤 Who’s going home with the trophy at the Capital Region Best Comic Competition Finals?

🖼️ See Bodies and Minds by Anna Nickman and Sophia Rothberg at Collar Works.

🎷 Experience Egyptian spiritual jazz with Abu Zeyn at the Sanctuary for Independent Media.

SATURDAY

🍍Indian Ladder Farms goes island hopping for its Hawaiian Oktoberfest. And yes, there will be pineapple on pizza 😂 

🎃 Our very own Karley Sullivan will be judging the pumpkin-carving contest at Historic Cherry Hill’s free Pumpkin Party on the Hill.

🍂 The inaugural Columbia County Craft Festival promises to bring plenty of your favorite fall foods, live music, and crafts, of course.

🍁 So many fall festivals, so little time before winter arrives. The Maple Ski Ridge Annual Fall Festival celebrates the season with hay rides, fall foliage chairlift rides, pumpkin painting, bounce houses, and more. West Mountain in Queensbury is also putting on its Fall Festival this weekend.

🎃 The Twilight Market Halloween edition takes over the Washington Park Lake House.

🤠 It’s Fall Country Night at Anthony’s by Romo’s!

🖼️ It’s the last day to catch the Set a Scene Community Show at Context Collective in Troy.

📜 Get to Ten Broeck Mansion for “Before the War: Lives Bearing Witness in Pre‑Revolutionary Albany.”

💎 Rocktoberfest is the Capital Region’s premier gem, mineral and fossil show. Sat & Sun.

🎆 Join Saratoga 250 for Siege Living History Weekend, and experience the sights, sounds, and stories of the Saratoga Campaign brought to life.

SUNDAY

🍏 Nine Pin’s annual Cider Sunday takes place in the middle of Samascott Orchards. Expect apple picking, a cider bar, food trucks, live music, and hay rides.

🔔 Wash away your troubles as Tim Bell puts on a soothing sound bath at Mt. Ida Preservation Hall. Donations requested.

🚗 The 24th annual "The Way We Were" Car Show sprawls across Ballston Spa’s charming downtown.

Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website.
Click here.

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