View from St Mary's Church, Whitby, 6 November 2011, photograph courtesy of Chris Jones
You don’t have to be a Goth to visit Whitby Goth Weekend – though if you want to make a dramatic impact, it undoubtedly helps.
I visited the Goth weekend for the first time on Sunday. Not as a Goth, I’m afraid, but to take pictures. I’ve long loved Whitby as a seaside resort and fishing port – it’s right up there with the very best in the country as nationwide polls consistently show. Aside from the marvellous beaches and superb scenery, it’s also full of interesting shops, boutiques, cafés, restaurants and tourist attractions. But it’s also full of interesting people – particularly on one of their themed weekends.
Enjoying the sunny November morning - photo courtesy of Chris Jones
The Whitby Goth Weekend has been going for 17 years. Originally held once a year, it’s now biennial every April and November. On Sunday we were treated to fine weather making it the ideal setting for promenading along the front dressed in one’s finest gothic attire. And that’s exactly what many people did.
Whitby's a beautiful backdrop for the Goth Weekend - photo courtesy of Chris Jones
It seemed to me that the population was split almost 50:50 – half the people were Goths and the other half were taking photos of them.
Many Goths had clearly gone to a lot of trouble to produce their often intricate outfits. Many of the costumes were simply stunning. And, as an amateur photographer what amazed me the most was how polite everyone was – after I’d stopped them, positioned them for a pose, and then taken several shots, just about every single one of them thanked me.
Don't look now...! Photo courtesy of Chris Jones
After an excellent plate of fish and chips in Graveley’s Seafood Restaurant we had to head back home but if we’d been able to stay there would have been plenty of things going on in the bars and bistros in the evening – including live bands.
I’ll certainly be going back to Whitby for Goth Week again – roll on next year.
Enjoying a fish & chip supper - photo courtesy of Chris Jones
You can find more of our pics here, or for more information about the Whitby Goth Weekend, check out their terrific website here and next spring’s dates have already been confirmed as 26-30 April, so if you’d like to book accommodation for the weekend, find a Whitby B&B, Whitby hotels or Whitby cottages on Hello Yorkshire.
Not all goths wear black! Photo courtesy of Chris Jones
