Fur jackets. Neon eyeshadow. Platform boots. Glitter. Feathered masks. 

Comparable to the eccentricities and glam of Burning Man music festival, Chikoko’s annual experimental fashion show — this year, titled ‘Beast’ — was a work of art, bringing together Chico creatives. 

Chikoko — a multimedia entertainment arts company founded in 2005, according to their social media — hosted this year’s event at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds, transforming the spacious warehouse into a moody runway. Colorful spotlights danced across the walls as attendees trickled in to find seats.  

Gallery // 4 Photos

Two attendees, dressed as a cat and a bird, chased each other around the flocks of attendees outside of the event. They stopped briefly for a photo before taking flight once again. Photo taken by Lexi Lynn on Oct. 4, 2025.

Swarms of people dressed in animal print and sequins migrated between vendors just outside of the building. The lineup of vendors could have stood alone as its own event — with a live band, multiple food options, an upcycled clothing booth and three bars, the party seemed to start before the show even began. 

The show itself kicked off with a monologue spoken by the event’s host, Aunt Betty. She began by reciting the poem “Beast” by Walt Whitman, following it with cryptic and lighthearted commentary on the show’s theme, describing what “beast” means in the context of art. 

“Let the freak flags fly!” she proclaimed at the end of her set. The crowd roared with excitement, animalistic with eagerness. 

With work by four different designers, each set was a unique body of work. One lineup seemed to emphasize true-to-life animal qualities in the clothing details, like tails and feathers, whereas another was more obscure in its interpretation of the show’s theme, incorporating nudity and more revealing pieces. 

Apart from the wild collections of clothing, a group of dancers performed a number to Lady Gaga’s ‘Disease,’ enchanting the audience with a choreographed portrayal of what it means to mask one’s inner “beast” to adhere to societal expectations. 

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At the center of the catwalk, models pause back-to-back to bask in the admiration of attendees. Photo taken by Lexi Lynn on Oct. 4., 2025

During intermission, guests gathered outside to mingle and get fresh air. The bars seemed to be the main hotspots, with lines still lingering well after intermission concluded. 

Andrew Kinley auditioned with his fiancee to model in this year’s show. While his fiancee ended up getting the part, he said that he was still excited to be in attendance. Kinley said that he’s attended the Chikoko shows four times now, remarking that the shows are his “favorite Chico event.” 

Meghan Byers, a former Chikoko volunteer and artist, has attended ten shows throughout her time in Chico. She said that her favorite part of Chikoko events is the sense of community she feels while in attendance. 

“I feel like Chico has a very special thing going — where people love to be creative and be wild,” Byers said. 

Jason Cassidy played in the band present at the event, called Ken the Revelator. He described the event as “the best in Chico,” describing the community of Chico artists present as “the scene in a nutshell.”

The show went on. Models strutted down the catwalk, guests gushed to each other over their favorite pieces, the music boomed with electricity. As the night approached its end, the designers wrapped up with an acapella performance to the song “In This House” by Karisha Longaker. 

“In this house, we lead with love. In this house, we lift each other up,” they sang. All four designers were dressed in flowy dresses, moving up and down the catwalk to sing out to the audience. With outstretched arms, attendees who knew the song stood to sing along.

“Come on over, there is enough. Oh, this is the house we’ve been dreaming of,” they repeated. The final verse sent the audience erupting into applause and just like that, Chikoko’s dream-like world came to a close.  

As people began to exit the fairgrounds, clad in their beast-themed getups, it seemed as if the art was as much about the people who came as it was about the show itself. 

Lexi Lynn can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].