Whitby Goth Weekend in 50 days!

It must sound like the Goth weekend is the only real event in my calendar as I reckon about 50% of the blog entries I have made have been about it… and I can’t deny it’s a big one for me – especially as it’s at Halloween.

There is a fair amount of preparation for every event I take part in, but because I attend this one with a large group of mates I need to be as organised as possible to give myself the time to party while I’m there. My preparation for the Goth weekend starts earlier and earlier each year as we become more and more established and people expect to see us there. This requires that we take more creatures and become more ingenious with our designs as Halloween themes are popular and Whitby folk are starting to think about Christmas gifts.

I’m starting to panic! 8 weeks may sound like a long time but I assure you it is anything but. I have just made a list of everything I would like to achieve in that time and I am blown away by the length of it. Of course I have a good stock here, created for the events I have attended this summer, but I’m sure you can appreciate that the creatures I take to family fairs in sunny parks are a whole different kettle of fish to the darker variety that is swooned over at the Goth festival.

I am torn between creating the staples of the store; the creatures I know are popular, and the new ideas I have swimming round in my head, as yet untried and very much still in the design process. I have ideas about a new look for our stall, based around an old Victorian curiosity shop but I am worried that I won’t be able to give it the time it needs to make it look authentic, and of course there are the Halloween costumes to think up and make!

There is nothing for it but to buckle down to work and get creative.

The countdown to Whitby has officially started: 50 days to go!

A note about Whitby Goth Weekend: Many of the regulars will know that there have been some changes to the organization of the Goth festival over the last few months. I want to assure you that everything you come to expect from the Goth weekend is still happening and your festival enjoyment will not be affected by any management changes (most of the rumours incidentally are just that…rumours). There is of course the main Spa event with bands such as Faith and the Muse and Eden House, but there is also Carnival Macabre, Nostalgia, a Halloween costumes ball, club nights and bands at venues all around town, a custom car and bike show and events for under 18’s, not to mention the extensive gothic markets, where you’ll find us at the Leisure centre. So don’t believe anyone when they say part of the event has been cancelled and go find out for yourself.

I had a dream last night... might even be prophesy.

I was walking across the moors. The sun was trying to shine but there was a thick blanket of cloud stopping the rays reaching me. There was a strong wind blowing against me and whipping my hair about my face. I was heading to the site (site for what I can’t quite remember) and I had a plunger and a bag of smarties that I’d meticulously picked out all the blue ones from.

As I walked I whistled. It was a tune that I knew I had to sing at this point in the journey. I had that creepy feeling that something was watching me but there was nowhere anyone could be hiding; the land was flat and there were no buildings for miles.

The tree came into view; the marker that I had reached my destination. As I got closer the ground got crisper. Each footstep sounded like I was crushing eggshells; the grass and shrubs were like really fine glass that broke into tiny shards beneath my feet. At the base of the tree was a small pool - the entrance. I launched myself toward the pool, threw in the smarties, covered the pool with the plunger and started thrashing it with all my might.

… and then I woke up.

So what does it mean?

Well, I think I can safely say that the creatures are sock horrors and the pool is their wormhole from The Doldrums, but smarties are a new development. I wonder what havoc they wreak. And the ground turning to glass in the area around the portal?… well that’s new too.