World’s Worst Expo returns to big crowds in Sacramento. See midtown in its Sunday best

Hanh Truong
·3 min read

Midtown Sacramento was sporting its Sunday best for the return of the World’s Worst Expo.

The outdoor curated market previously postponed its event on Feb. 18 to Sunday due to windy weather.

Crowds of people, some with arms and bags filled with clothes, packed onto 20th and K streets, which were closed for the market amid sunny skies and warm temperatures.

Nica Heitkam, owner of Crochet with Nica, at her booth at the World’s Worst Expo in midtown Sacramento on Sunday, Feb, 25.
Nica Heitkam, owner of Crochet with Nica, at her booth at the World’s Worst Expo in midtown Sacramento on Sunday, Feb, 25.

The World’s Worst Expo has been running since November 2019, starting as a storefront called World’s Worst Bodega in downtown Sacramento before expanding into an outdoor marketplace. The expo features more than 200 vendors selling vintage clothes, jewelry, shoes and food.

Vendors included Crochet with Nica, and Chasin’ Nostalgia, a vintage clothing store headed by Jessie Diez and Shaundy Ravanal.

Shaundy Ravanal, left, and Jessie Diez at the front of their booth called “Chasin’ Nostalgia.” FIT CHECK: Diez is wearing a 1998 Dennis Rodman t-shirt from Ebay, Nike Spartan dunks and pants from his clothing brand called “5200.”
Shaundy Ravanal, left, and Jessie Diez at the front of their booth called “Chasin’ Nostalgia.” FIT CHECK: Diez is wearing a 1998 Dennis Rodman t-shirt from Ebay, Nike Spartan dunks and pants from his clothing brand called “5200.”

Diez said that he’s been setting up his booth at the World’s Worst Expo since it started, selling a curated catalog of clothes from the 1980s to 2000s. There’s a different variety of styles, he said, to give everyone a different taste of fashion.

World’s Worst Expo co-owner Casey Mann, left, stands with videographer Tony Jelks-Tran in midtown Sacramento on Sunday. FIT CHECK: Mann is wearing a World’s Worst trucker hat, a thrifted ’90s t-shirt, ’80s military pants and Salehe Bembury Crocs.
World’s Worst Expo co-owner Casey Mann, left, stands with videographer Tony Jelks-Tran in midtown Sacramento on Sunday. FIT CHECK: Mann is wearing a World’s Worst trucker hat, a thrifted ’90s t-shirt, ’80s military pants and Salehe Bembury Crocs.

“The initial idea was just to create one place where you could come and, for people like us, to find exactly what they were looking for at these much larger events,” said Casey Mann, who co-owns World’s Worst Expo with Jamison Lyons.

Markets with vintage goods have been gaining attraction in cities across California — with Los Angeles being the home to the Rose Bowl Flea Market, Silverlake Flea and Melrose Trading Post and San Francisco’s Alemany Flea Market, Inner Sunset Flea and Alameda Antiques Faire.

But at the time of the World’s Worst Expo’s inception, there weren’t many curated vintage clothing markets that showcased regularly, said Mann, who’s originally from Yuba City.

“We didn’t really have any inspiration to pull at the beginning because there wasn’t really anything like this,” he said.

World’s Worst Expo partnered with the Midtown Business Association to put on the event. The duo will be holding their first expo in Roseville on March 10 at Vernon Street Town Square.

The expo will take place in midtown every third Sunday and in Roseville every second Sunday, Mann said.

Ethan Putnam, left, and Elliott Correa. FIT CHECK: Correa is wearing a Red Rum Dog Pound hat, a Team-SESH jacket, Anchor Blue jeans and Converse shoes.
Ethan Putnam, left, and Elliott Correa. FIT CHECK: Correa is wearing a Red Rum Dog Pound hat, a Team-SESH jacket, Anchor Blue jeans and Converse shoes.

“They got a good variety of everything you need. I mean you want jackets, a little accessory, necklaces, they got homemade things, thrifted things,” said Ethan Putnam, who came to shop at the expo. “They got a good variety of anything you’re looking for around here.”

Jordyn Milan said she’s been coming to the World’s Worst Expo for about a year and a half, making the trek from Pleasant Hill to Sacramento. Milan said she came to the market to source outfits for her business where she styles people.

“Everyone has great things here but I have to shop within my budget,” Milan said. “It’s like I’m pretty limited but everyone here, they have great prices and bins and piles I can dig through so I love coming here all the time.”

Jordyn Milan poses at World’s Worst Expo in midtown Sacramento. FIT CHECK: Milan is wearing thrifted Wrangler jeans, her sister’s belt, Adidas Gazelle shoes, a Baggu bag and an Ikea bag for all her items from the expo.
Jordyn Milan poses at World’s Worst Expo in midtown Sacramento. FIT CHECK: Milan is wearing thrifted Wrangler jeans, her sister’s belt, Adidas Gazelle shoes, a Baggu bag and an Ikea bag for all her items from the expo.

World’s Worst previously had two storefronts, located at Arden Fair mall and Roseville’s Westfield Galleria. They closed in January as Mann and Lyons turned their focus on events and selling via their online shop.

The goal for the year is figuring out ways to continue expanding, Mann said, whose dream is to one day hold the World’s Worst Expo in New York.