WGW: Whitby Goth Weekend Oct 2019

Tags

Abbey Wharf, Alternative, Bizarre Bazaar, corsets, Doctor and the Medics, Dracula, Goths, Halloween, October 24-27, St Marys Church, Steampunks, Vampires, Victoriana, Victorians, WGW, WGW 2019, WGW part II, Whale bones, Whitby, Whitby Goth Weekend

Whitby Goth Weekend 24-27 October 2019

Twice a year Whitby, a quaint seaside town in North Yorkshire, becomes the mecca for the darkside. Goths, Steampunks, Victorian enthusiasts all gather for the Whitby Goth Weekend.  The event, which grew out of a goth music festival developed by Jo Hampshire back in 1994,  is now so huge that accommodation is often booked out for two years in advance and it’s estimated that it these two weekends bring in over a £1.1 Millions pounds to the local economy.

WGW brings in the crowds!

I’ve been going to the Goth weekend for many years with Bonnie and Occasionally Miss Jessel has managed to join us, but life and general mischance have meant I’ve not been since the 2015 October event.  My recollections of the at last visit was that there was a change in the air, the Goths who came for the music festival seemed to be in retreat in the face of Victorian enthusiasts and the Steampunk advance.  The locals also seemed to be growing tired of photographers and visitors disrespecting and damaging the historic graveyard of St Mary’s.  What had always seemed to be a very inclusive and welcoming atmosphere had developed fissures and the tensions were bubbling up to the surface. While I still enjoyed the evant, I was left wondering what would happen, if, indeed, it would survive.

WGW at Abbey Wharf

Doctor and the Medics at Abbey Wharf

I’m happy to say that WGW is going strong.  In the face of a huge explosion in popularity over the last few years and the diversity of alternative sub-genres in evidence, it is clear that the event has successfully evolved and regenerated into a wonderful and inclusive event.

These days the music events have diffused and WGW have many official events across the weekend.  The events are all free, but you can get fast-track and VIP tickets (which are worth it, as even after 11pm the Queues were long).  Jo and the other organisers seem to have successfully brought music back to the forefront of the event Abbey Wharf played host to a Stars and Moons Productions Barnum and Bailey/Greatest Showman themed night, headlined by the legendary Doctor and the Medics.  It was packed out and there were queues all night to get in.

The Bizarre Bazaar has also lost none of its allure since moving from Whitby Pavilion to Whitby Leisure Centre (just a short way along from the Pavilion).

Tourists flock through St Mary’s graveyard.

This year sadly  Miss Jessel was unable to join me, but Bonnie and I went down with some younger friends who had never attended the event before.  I don’t think that they were quite ready for how difficult it was to get anywhere without being swarmed by photographers! One of them even made it into the national papers (look for ‘woman in black corset and dramatic face makeup enjoying a stroll’ in the link below) not bad for her first visit!!

Modern Vampire hunters!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7618815/Goths-steampunks-seaside-town-Whitby-twice-yearly-Goth-Weekend.html

Here are some of the images from Whitby Goth Weekend 2019.

The Goths and the Victorians

Victorian Vampires at St Mary’s Church.

Death stalks the St Mary’s graveyard.

Miss Jessel has a rival in this gothic governess.

Death and the maiden

Detail

The Vampire chained

 

Goth guy

 

Vampyra in the YHA (outfit designed and created by Iga Pecak)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Close up by the whale bones

Vampire Alley

 

RNLI guess the weight of the pumpkin!

Grey lady and gent

Purple lady

The Mad Hatter

Bride of the bat

Detail

Victorian Steampunk couple

The undisputed queen of the vampires

Steampunks and the rest

 

Steampunk Pirate hat by Iga Pecak

Detail

Steampunk explorers at the whale bones

Steampunk gentlemen

Gentleman playing the saw at the bandstand

STeampunk pixie girl

Gorgeous Georgians

 

You shall not pass!

Anime girl

Bring out your dead!

Where else but Whitby would you see a lady out strolling with her dragon?

And the final word goes to the fabulous Goth Cat and friend!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

FROM THE HAUNTED PALACE!!

Whitby Goth Weekend April 2015

Tags

199, 2015, 21s Anniversary, Alternative, April, Goth, Jordan Reyne, Manuskript, Music Festival, St Marys Church, Steam punk, Steampunk, Steps, Victorian, WGW, Whitby, Whitby Abbey, Whitby Goth Weekend

Whitby Goth Weekend.

Anyone who has had a good poke around on this blog probably knows that I absolutely LOVE Whitby Goth Weekend.  Having missed a couple of events over the past year or so I was all set to head off to the home of Goth for the Halloween WGW last year when disaster struck.  Boggle Hole YHA inexplicably decided to cancel all of their bookings over that weekend at the last minute.   Of course by that time there was no accommodation left within a 20 mile radius of Whitby ….Grrrr didn’t they know I needed my Whitby fix?

Anyway, patience was finally rewarded, and this weekend I got to stay in Abbey House (my favorite YHA – right next to the Abbey ruins and St Mary’s graveyard) and wander about a variety of historic settings in Whitby dressed in full Victorian Goth regalia and enjoying some fantastic bands in the evenings.

This years events are special because Whitby Goth Weekend is celebrating its 21st anniversary.  Jo Hampshire probably never imagined how her alternative music festival would mushroom over the years.  These days the Music festival element can seem a little swamped by all of the weekend Goths, Victorian enthusiasts and the ever-growing steam punk invasion, but for those who still remember the original raison d’être for the weekend there were some fantastic bands on at the Spa Pavillion including Abney Park, Jordan Reyne, Manuskript, The Chameleons, Doctor and the Medics and The Damned (to name but a few).

Anyway, here are some of my photos of this weekends event…

First glimpse of the Whitby Abbey.

St Marys Churchyard and the 199 Steps

St Marys Church, Whitby

 

Heading down into the Whitby from St Mary’s

Down in Whitby town

A First Class Steam punk general

The proud owner of possibly the coolest wheelchair ever.

A group of intrepid steam punks outside the penny arcade.

Whitby Goth Weekend Saturday Night at the Pavillion

Saturday night at the Spa Pavillion – Jordan Reyne

 

Jordan Reyne

Manuskript

A Night Walk

The path through the churchyard that leads to the Abbey

 Photographs

All photographs by Lenora

Whitby Goth Weekend Music Festival

http://www.whitbygothweekend.co.uk/news.php

 

Wendy Andrews – Goddess Art

Tags

Alternative, Earth Goddess, Goddess Art, Luna Moon Hare, Pagan, Wendy Andrews

Wendy Andrews, Artist. Image copyright Wendy Andrews

Wendy Andrews has been painting all her life, and she has a degree in fine art from Cheltenham.  It was in the 1980’s that her focus began to shift towards expressing her love of the goddess in her art.  She is now world-renowned for her Goddess and Mythological paintings.

Mine all Mine! Earth Goddess wall-hanging, photo by Lenora, image copyright Wendy Andrews

I first came across Wendy’s art by chance when I was browsing in a great little alternative shop in Tynemouth called The Celtic Path.

I was immediately struck by a wall-hanging on display.  The shop owner told me a bit about the artist, and showed me some of her other art – some wonderful moon hare cards (much more affordable, and I have always loved hares)….but my eyes kept straying back to the wall-hanging of the Earth Goddess.

In the end I bought it, I just couldn’t resist it. It just captivated me with its earthy spirituality (and to be fair it wasn’t really that expensive for the size of it).  The lady in the shop also successfully managed to sell me a copy of Wendy Andrew’s Luna Moon Hare book, sight unseen (it wasn’t in stock right then).  She had managed to convince me that everyone who bought it was totally blown away by the art and the story of Luna Moon Hare.

When I finally picked up my copy, I was a bit surprised to see that  it was a children’s book, but nevertheless I was excited to read it because the art was guaranteed to be beautiful.

Luna Moon Hare by Wendy Andrews

Luna Moon Hare is subtitled A Magical Journey with the Goddess, and it really is a magical journey.  Even though it is aimed at children, I found myself really wrapped up in the story of Luna, who carries the crown of holly king, and then the oak king through the wheel of the year.  The moons of each month are named as are the festivals.  The story is genuinely lovely and poignant and it provides an accessible and memorable introduction to the Goddess and the wheel of the year.

Luna Moon Hare, photo by Lenora, image copyright Wendy Andrews

I decided to visit Wendy Andrews’ website ‘Painting Dreams‘ and read some of the feedback about the book – it seems that lots of people buy it for children but end up keeping it or ordering another copy for themselves! I can understand this -if you ever get the chance,  I would definately recommend you get a copy of this book.

Wendy also produces a lot of other Goddess and Mythology based art, including sacred animal art and the art of the sacred Masculine.  She also undertakes commissions –  I bought a copy of her Goddess Wheel of the Year, the huge original of which is displayed in the Temple of the Goddess in Glastonbury.

Luna Moon Hare at Beltane, photo by Lenora, image copyright Wendy Andrews

As you can tell, I am a fan of Wendy’s art, I think it is beautiful and inspirational and seems to come from the heart. On a practical level it’s also affordable as she produces everything from greetings cards, wall-hangings to limited addition prints, and one-off commissions.

Oh and my cats quite like her art too:

Goddess Wheel by Wendy Andrews

You can find out more about Wendy Andrews and her Goddess inspired art at her website:

http://www.paintingdreams.co.uk/