Whitby Goth Weekend (WGW) is a spectacular festival founded in 1994. Since then, its popularity has grown so dramatically that the organizers decided to make it a biannual event for those who love all things gothic and steampunk.
Whitby Goth Weekend usually takes place in the seaside town of Whitby twice a year in April and October (sometimes November), coinciding with Halloween.
Whitby Goth Weekend is a celebration of all sorts of weird and wonderful characters, goth culture, and arts. The festival is about drinking, shopping, dancing, and listening to music. Representatives of all subcultures are welcome here—goths, punks, bikers, Victorian vampires, and steampunk folks.
Festival program
Visiting the festival gives you a great chance to witness beautiful and unique goth outfits. On Friday and Saturday nights, you can enjoy live alternative music (gothic rock, gothic metal, electronic body music, industrial music, synthpop, etc.). Past headliners of the WGW included The Damned, Voltaire, KLAMMER, Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic, The Last Cry, Killing Eve, Fields of Nephilim and The Sisters of Mercy. In addition to the main stages, WGW hosts many club events, parties, and meet-ups at various venues across the town.
Bizarre Bazaar Alternative Market
On all three days of the festival, attendees can visit alternative markets to buy some goth jewelry and other unusual items. Bizarre Bazaar Alternative Market features over 100 indoor stalls. One of the UK’s oldest alternative markets, it has become one of the major attractions of Whitby Goth Weekend.
You can spend hours exploring unique wares from artisans and craftsmen, discovering hidden treasures and one-of-a-kind items, impressive dark art, curious trinkets and gothic apparel. The Bizarre Bazaar Alternative Market usually takes place at Whitby Leisure Centre, The Spa Pavilion, and Whitby Brunswick Centre.
Tickets and parking
For tickets and the latest updates, please check the official websites (see External Resources below). Also, take a look at the map suggesting the best accommodations nearby. Parking can be found throughout the town at Pay and Display car parks and the Park & Ride facility on the western outskirts of Whitby.
WGW history
Whitby Goth Weekend was founded by Jo Hampshire. In 1994, he and around forty of his pen pals got together at the Elsinore Pub in Whitby to share their interest in alternative music and gothic culture. The idea of the festival was born during that meeting. Whitby was chosen because of the association with the famous novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. When Stoker visited Whitby in 1890, he found some inspiration for his iconic book. Reportedly, he learned about Dracula while doing research at Whitby library. Thanks to the festival, Whitby has become a site of mass goth pilgrimage every spring and autumn, bringing over a million pounds in revenues to the town.
