Paddleboarders celebrate Whitby Goth Weekend with witch costumes
The festival, which has been going since 1994, is a celebration of alternative music, fashion and culture.
Paddleboarders dressed as witches were spotted exploring the harbour during Whitby Goth Weekend.
The festival, which has been going since 1994, is a celebration of alternative music, fashion and culture and makes for a striking spectacle as people in outlandish costumes stroll around the seaside town.
On Saturday, a group of paddleboarders – thought to be local – marked the occasion by donning fancy dress as they went out on the harbour.
The bizarre sight was caught on camera by Twitter user Bernadette McKnight, who joked: “Amongst all the craziness in this mad world…some witches paddle boarding celebrating #WhitbyGothWeekend #Whitby …thank god for some normality…”
While the wet weather dampened the spectacle somewhat on Saturday, Sunday’s fine weather brought an influx of visitors on to the streets of the North Yorkshire town.
Festival-goers were spotted in a range of outfits, from steampunk costumes to elaborate zombie make-up.
A number of costumed dogs were also spotted around the town.
Whitby has long been popular with followers of alternative subcultures, thanks to its association with Bram Stoker’s Dracula – the classic vampire novel which took inspiration from the abbey and other parts of the town.
The Whitby Goth Weekend is described by organisers as “one of the world’s premier Goth events”, taking in music at local venues, as well as around 100 stalls, fashion and beer tasting.
