Dracula, the most famous of all visitors to Whitby, was the inspiration behind the UK’s biggest gathering of goths, steampunks, rockabillys, cybergoths and rivetheads. The biannual festival, now in its 16th year, has grown from a small gathering to a festival playing host to two days of bands and alternative nights that exploit every nook and cranny of the small town. This is no ordinary holiday at the beach.

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Steampunk band Abney Park headlined on the first day incorporating belly dancing and costumes from an “era that never was”. Saturday boasted gothic electro giants Diary of Dreams, stirring the crowd into a frenzy. But Whitby is a community event, a bubble for the UK’s goth scene. Daytime events such as the charity football match between goths and the local newspaper on the Sunday as well as unofficial happenings that include meet ups, picnics, photoshoots and boat trips and even weddings make everyone feel as local as the fish and chips.

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