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Whitby Goth Weekend: Travel Tips & Accommodations! Steampunk Gothic fashion, Andi Sex Gang.

kato steamgirl, steampunk band abney park

Thousands of Goths came out to play… at Whitby Goth Weekend 2015! (Above — ran into steampunk designer/model Kato Steamgirl, and Derek Brown of the band Abney Park.)

WGW began as a small gathering in 1994, and is now one of the world’s biggest celebrations of Gothic music, fashion and culture. Twice a year, the festival brings alternative types together, in the charming seaside town of Whitby, England.

furry costume, animal mascot

It’s quite the sight… Locals mixing with Victorian gentlemen, steampunk ladies, and even furries! But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start with the travel basics, followed by style snaps and a performance by Andi Sex Gang.

First, how do you get to Whitby Goth Weekend? Most people first travel to a nearby city, such as Liverpool or even London. I was already in Manchester with my crew, so we easily rode the train and changed tracks at Darlington or Middlesbrough. Our ride was about 5 hours long, and gave us a gorgeous view of the English countryside. However if you have a car, driving is usually the most direct way to get to Whitby. The festival also runs a “late bus” to nearby Scarborough, which is where some people stay.

captain cook cottages, whitby uk

Now, how can you find accommodations during Whitby Goth Weekend? Let me warn you: on these festival dates, Whitby hotels and rentals get booked up months in advance! Plan ahead, and don’t expect to “wing it” or you’ll be in trouble.

I stayed in a Sykes Cottages rental with my friends, and it was the perfect solution. We got a cute cottage to ourselves, within walking distance of the city center. The location (Captain Cook haven) was picture-perfect, as you can see above. We even saw bunnies in our yard!

sykes cottages vacation rental

We rented this Sykes Sunnybrae cottage, which mixed countryside charm with modern appliances. I did my best to haunt the kitchen. (Perhaps that explains the mystery of the disappearing cookies?)

whitby goth weekend accommodation, sykes holiday rentals

Sykes makes it easy for you to search and book cottages all over the UK, via their siteOur cottage had 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a spacious living room and kitchen — what a deal, especially when shared between a few friends. Sykes even provided us with snacks and everything we needed for English afternoon tea! (I’ll show you more in the next post.)

larpool viaduct, whitby

We were a stone’s throw away from the Larpool Viaduct, which was built in the late 19th century and spans the River Esk.

da vinci corset, dracula clothing model

My friends and I walked on the viaduct, and it led us straight to Whitby town center. I’m wearing a Victorian dress and Da Vinci print corset from Dracula Clothing.

(Shop corsets and steam punk clothing below)

whitby gothic weekend travel guide

How gorgeous is Yorkshire, Northern England? This was my first time in this county, and it’s so different from London: lush landscapes, friendly folk.

Tip: wear good walking shoes (I wore “trainers” and carried my heels in a bag). While this is a pleasant walk, it’s a long one and there are some steep areas. Bring a coat too, since the weather can get chilly especially near the ocean.

whitby boats, seaside

At the end of the path, we descended a steep set of stairs and arrived at this adorable row of boats. While Whitby is a small resort town, there are a good number of shops and restaurants, so you’ll have plenty to see and do.

british fishing nets

Seagulls chirped and circled though the air. Whitby is known as a prime fishing port, and their fish and chips are considered the best in Britain.

la carmina whitby goth weekend

Why is Whitby the location of a Goth festival? Because Bram Stoker wrote Dracula while staying in this fishing town. Whitby Abbey (to my left) provided dark inspiration for his vampire novel.

whitby gothic landscape, sea

The ruins of the Abbey called to me… We went there later, to shoot a magazine cover. Stay tuned, and I’ll take you up there. (All photos by Joey Wong)

elder goths, whitby gothic festival

Everywhere we walked, there was a Goth! We saw people of all ages in alternative fashion, ranging from Steampunk to Fairy to Cyber to Horror. (I’ll show you more snaps of festival-goers in the next post.)

magpie cafe, best whitby restaurants, fish chips

The walk worked up our appetite. We stopped for lunch at the Magpie Cafe, one of the top-rated restaurants in Whitby. They’re famed for their fish & chips, and have a extensive menu featuring fresh seafood. (Tip: go during off-hours. We went on a Friday afternoon, and were lucky to get a table. On Saturday and Sunday evenings, the lineup will snake around the block).

I posed at the Magpie Cafe entrance with my friends Nyx and Truls, who is the designer of Dracula Clothing. We’re all wearing his dark designs.

yorkshire beaches, whitby

The “Bizarre Bazaar” and concerts are all held at “The Spa” Pavilion. Where is this venue exactly? On the cliff, not far from the whale bones sculpture. (Address: West Cliff, Whitby, North Yorkshire)

Below the Spa is a long stretch of beach. Some cheeky Goths drew a giant pentagram in the sand.

dracula clothing, steampunk top hat

It was wonderful to see so many “creatures of the night” gathered in one place. I loved how people dressed and expressed themselves in their own ways, like this steampunk lad playing a ukelele. My friends found a Dracula store that matched their aesthetic!

purple blue colored hair, steampunk goggles

Dracula Clothing also designed the brass goggles that I’m wearing as a necklace. My purple-blue hair is the work of Stephanie Hoy at Stratosphere Salon in Vancouver.

goth car, gothic license plate

We passed by a row of decorated Goth cars. This license plate says it all.

goth decorated cars

Now that’s “Dead-ication” to the spooky lifestyle.

whitby goth photography, costumes

There were a lot of photographers asking to take images. Some have complained that “looky-loos” are turning the weekend into too much a “circus attraction,” but aside for a few moments on the busiest streets, I didn’t feel hounded or on display.

goth dog costume, victorian goths

21 years after the first Whitby Gothic Weekend, the scene retains an inclusive, genuine atmosphere. Many of the attendees have been part of the lifestyle for decades, and still going strong.

andi sex gang singer

During the day, anyone is welcome to browse the shopping “bazaars” (there are three locations) and attend free events, like a pool and golf tournament. However, when night falls, only wristband-wearers are allowed into the Spa pavilion, where the bands perform.

This year, WGW performers included Cruxshadows, The Birthday Massacre and Abney Park. I only attended Friday and Saturday night, so I didn’t see all the shows. However, I was front and center for Andi Sex Gang (above).

justin minister, andi sex gang bassist

My friend Justin Minister was playing bass in Andi Sex Gang. (Remember I saw him play with Amy’s Arms in Toronto?)

sex gang children performing

Oh, Andi. The founder and singer of Sex Gang Children (seminal 1980s Goth band) is powerful as ever, in his solo incarnation. He crouched and splayed his hands, moving like a Japanese butoh artist. Paint divided his face in two halves, which shone in different colors as the lights changed.

whitby goth weekend 2015 bands

The group played tracks from the past, and from their new album Achilles In The Eurozone. The latest songs are as evocative at ever, pulsing with a modern sound — Andi is always stepping up his game.

(We had press passes, so Joey got to shoot these dramatic photos from the foot of the stage.)

andi whitby goth band concert

He’s a study in stage presence: scuttling across the stage like a spider, and hitting every note with intensity. Between songs, Andi wished Whitby Goth Weekend a happy birthday, in his best horror-film voice.

goth bands, whitby lineup

The band grounded the tracks with dark, pulsing rhythms. The background showed eccentric film clips, like a Hindu god spreading a multitude of arms.

famous goth band singer

If Uncle Fester could sing… Bravo to Andi Sex Gang for a magnificent headlining performance. They’re currently on tour in Europe; check out their Facebook for upcoming show dates.

I filmed some clips of Whitby bands performing — I hope these give you a sense of the energy on stage. Watch the compilation video above and on VideofyMe.

whitby festival goth girl

Attending Whitby Goth Weekend was a dream come true! I have a lot more to share with you — please take a moment to bookmark this site and add me on Facebook, to make sure you won’t miss it.

yorkshire ocean, resort town

The next Whitby Goth Weekend takes place October 30 to November 1 (Halloween 2015!) More info about tickets, performers etc can be found on their website.

Have you heard of WGW? What’s your impression of this Gothic festival so far?

(Shop my favorite Steampunk fashion, shoes and accessories below)

40 Comments

  1. Ashavari
    Posted May 4, 2015 at 7:42 pm | Permalink

    Awe, that looks like such a fun time! I love your corset

  2. Taeden
    Posted May 4, 2015 at 8:24 pm | Permalink

    :D

  3. Rafael
    Posted May 4, 2015 at 8:24 pm | Permalink

    SUPER ADORA-CUTE! >,..,<

  4. Darren
    Posted May 4, 2015 at 8:24 pm | Permalink

    lovely lovely

  5. Angel
    Posted May 4, 2015 at 8:25 pm | Permalink

    love this, I wanted to go too this year. Alas next time I’ll meet u.

  6. Elsa
    Posted May 4, 2015 at 8:25 pm | Permalink

    Oh i met you at the bazaar!
    I am the lavender haired girl!

  7. Yog
    Posted May 4, 2015 at 11:28 pm | Permalink

    I am in desperate need of YouTubery of this night xx

  8. Jo
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 12:27 am | Permalink

    That looks like an amazing trip!

  9. Tyla
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 12:34 am | Permalink

    Aw you’re beautiful La Carmina

  10. Panda
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 12:40 am | Permalink

    Aw some of my favorite people. Wish I could have been there…next year.

  11. Chrystal
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 2:28 am | Permalink

    Haha that so cool

  12. Aleta
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 3:02 am | Permalink

    I loved it the one time I went.

  13. Bordello
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 3:02 am | Permalink

    LOVE THE VAMPIRE photos of you modeling.

  14. Eimear ♥
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 4:53 am | Permalink

    I’m excited to see all the fashion from the event!

  15. Serenity
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 9:39 pm | Permalink

    I want to gooo

  16. Sykes
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 9:40 pm | Permalink

    Thank you for your post – we’re so glad that you had a great time staying in our property :)

  17. Lauren
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 9:40 pm | Permalink

    does this mean you’re headed back to Japan?

  18. Varis
    Posted May 5, 2015 at 9:50 pm | Permalink

    your hair! *-* so lovely! The scenery is great, too :D

  19. Phyrra
    Posted May 6, 2015 at 4:17 am | Permalink

    Every time I see your hair it gives me warm fuzzies. Love it so much!

  20. Hal
    Posted May 6, 2015 at 4:17 am | Permalink

    Wick’d. Cheers!

  21. Ada
    Posted May 7, 2015 at 1:39 am | Permalink

    aMAZING hair color!

  22. Xyra
    Posted May 9, 2015 at 9:21 pm | Permalink

    glad you had a great time

  23. Christine
    Posted May 9, 2015 at 9:21 pm | Permalink

    I <3 your corset

  24. The Dame Intl
    Posted May 14, 2015 at 7:47 pm | Permalink

    You look wicked!

  25. Josh Summers
    Posted August 16, 2015 at 4:30 pm | Permalink

    awesome! caught a good pic of me with my ukulele :)

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