Whitby Goth Weekend calling on public to support town's events after Tomorrow's Ghosts cancels spring festival

Ghostwriter Consultancy, which organises the event, stated that “escalating costs” had forced it take “a long hard look” at the future and had decided to continue only with the Hallowe’en event, not the spring one.

But stakeholders in the wider town-based goth festival feel it is important that people know that the twice annually held festival does not just include the Tomorrow’s Ghosts events at the Pavilion, but includes good quality events held at venues spread across town and in particular, at The Met Ballroom which has been staging Marquis Masquerade since 2016 and the long-standing Sexy Sunday since the mid 90s.

Jay Charles of Marquis Masquerade said: “A lot of people don’t differentiate between the main event at the Pavilion and what’s going on in the rest of the town.

"It’s for the alternative sub-culture, not just Goths.

"There is currently still a very healthy crowd of people here during the traditional April dates and businesses rely on people coming for these festivals, which mark the start and end of the season.

"For us as a gang of stakeholders, we want to ensure that people understand that although Tomorrow’s Ghosts has pulled out of the April event, we still have and put on events at good quality venues and there’s good reason to come and celebrate.”

As well as the Whitby Goth Weekend brand which has live music at Abbey Wharf and the bizarre bazaar, there are various other venues offering entertainment at both the April and October events.

The Met has Goth and alternative tribute acts on the Thursday night, with Shadow Factory offering continued live music over the weekend, with old favourites Sexy Sunday and Manic Monday.

The Crafty Cove, based at the former home of RAW night club on Wellington Road, is also involved as a music venue – as well as October’s acts, it has also booked Gary Numan tribute Tubeway Days for next April.

Tony Walton, who runs the Crafty Cove with his wife Janice, said: "We work closely with the Little Angel pub and rather than being separate entities competing against each other, we work with each other.

“We can cross promote events at other venues and if someone comes to an event at The Met, they can come to our place and get a discount.”

This October, Sexy Sunday will feature five-piece band Sanctum Sanctorium and Sisters of No Mercy burlesque dancers, with several surprises promised – tickets are selling fast.

Jay said that it was imperative people support the events running across Whitby’s venues to ensure they continue long-term.

"The key message is that as a town and community, we are working together to provide entertainment”.

He added that if Whitby Pavilion was made available to them to stage events [now that Tomorrow’s Ghosts has pulled its spring event] then they would consider it.

OCTOBER 2023 – Thursday 26 to Monday 30

Thursday night @ The Met

Twins of Evil Tribute

Marilyn Manson & Rob Zombie tribute bands come together to pay tribute to the world famous Twins of Evil Tour

Friday night @ The Met

Marquis Masquerade & Freaky Friday Presents SHADOW FACTORY night 1 featuring live music from METHODCELL with support from PALINDRONES and HOLYBRAILE + DJ's Jay Sinful & Visra

Saturday night @ The Met

Marquis Masquerade Presents SHADOW FACTORY night 2 featuring live music from WARD XVI with support from NOVACROW and MOTHSLUT + DJ Jay Sinful

Sunday night & Monday night @ The Met

Sexy Sunday & Manic Monday club nights

Now two of the longest-running and most well-known goth festival events in Whitby

Featuring DJs and more.

Saturday night @ The Cove

BUNKER 13 Industrial club night est 2006 and playing a host of hits from the industrial, EBM, Dark electro, and aggrotech sub genres.

Sunday night @ The Cove

Features live music from Leeds based Byronic Sex and Excile + support from the North East's Play/Dead.

Saturday Afternoon @ Whitby Brewery

Goth @ The Brewery featuring live music from All My Thorns plus supports.

Saturday - Sunday daytimes

Stalls in the Leisure Centre and Brunswick Centre.