Yorkshire Moors

Spotlight · Week of 26 October

Whitby at Halloween: Goth Weekend and the Illuminated Abbey

By Jon Cosson · Updated 11 October 2026

The last week of October is a big one in Whitby. Whitby Goth Weekend runs from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, and English Heritage lights up the abbey every evening until 31 October. Most of the weekend is free: the market, the street scene and the town itself.

Whitby Abbey ruins on the clifftop above the town

The facts

Whitby Goth Weekend
30 October to 1 November 2026, with listings from Thursday 29 October in the official guide.
Bizarre Bazaar
Whitby Leisure Centre, YO21 3HT. Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October 10am to 5pm, Sunday 1 November 10am to 4pm. Free.
Ticketed events
Sold through Skiddle and Eventbrite; the official guide does not publish most ticket prices.
Not part of Goth Weekend
Tomorrow's Ghosts Festival at Whitby Pavilion on 30 and 31 October (the Pavilion's description also mentions Sunday 1 November), a separate festival run by a different organiser, day tickets from £42 plus fees.
Illuminated Whitby
Whitby Abbey, 23 to 31 October, 5.30pm to 9pm. Booked in advance: adult £18, child £9, family of two adults £45, family of one adult £27; English Heritage members £14 and £7. On the day: adult £22, child £11. Saturday 31 October in advance: adult £20, child £10, family of two adults £50.
Booking
Timed tickets; online booking closes at 5pm each day. Dogs on short leads are allowed. The Abbey Headland car park, which charges, is about 100 metres away.
Daytime
Halloween half-term at the abbey, 24 October to 1 November, 10am to 4pm.

Getting there

Our Goth Weekend guide covers the Park and Ride off the A171 and the town car parks. Coming by train avoids the car parks altogether. If you have not booked a bed, look inland at Goathland, Grosmont and the villages around Pickering.

Sources: Whitby Goth Weekend, dates page and the official 2026 guide; Whitby Pavilion, Tomorrow's Ghosts Festival; English Heritage, Illuminated Whitby event page and FAQs, and the Whitby Abbey page. Checked 11 October 2026.

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Top answers for the Yorkshire Moors

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Quick, straight answers to the questions visitors ask most. Each one links through to the fuller guide.

Which coastal towns are best, Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay, Staithes, Runswick Bay or Scarborough?

Whitby for the abbey, harbour and history; Robin Hood's Bay and Staithes for steep, atmospheric fishing villages; Runswick Bay for a pretty sandy beach; and Scarborough for a full traditional seaside resort.

Whitby guide →

When is Whitby Goth Weekend?

It runs twice a year, traditionally around late April and around Halloween, drawing thousands of visitors into the town. Dates shift year to year, so check the official Whitby Goth Weekend site, and book accommodation early, as the town fills months ahead.

Whitby Goth Weekend →

What is Whitby famous for?

The clifftop ruins of Whitby Abbey, its Bram Stoker Dracula connection, the 199 steps to St Mary's Church, Captain Cook's seafaring history, fish and chips and kippers, Whitby jet jewellery, and the twice-yearly Goth Weekend.

Things to do in Whitby →

What is Whitby jet?

Jet is fossilised wood from ancient monkey-puzzle-like trees, preserved in the Jurassic shales of the Whitby coast. Polished to a deep black shine, it was made famous as Victorian mourning jewellery and is still carved and sold by Whitby workshops today.

Whitby jet →

Is Whitby worth visiting?

Absolutely, the clifftop abbey that inspired Dracula, the 199 steps, Captain Cook heritage, Whitby jet and famous fish and chips make it the coast's must-see.

Whitby guide →

How do you get from York to Whitby?

By car it's roughly 45 miles and about an hour and a half via Malton and Pickering. There's no direct train: rail travellers change at Middlesbrough for the Esk Valley line, and there are also direct coach services. Many visitors drive to Pickering and take the steam railway in.

Getting here →