October 1, 2007 13:54 - Stone heads riddle CCTV development
I love living in this area of Yorkshire. Where else could you read about such weird stories as this one reported recently in the Whitby Gazette...The identity of a man leaving stone heads across Yorkshire, including at Goathland, may be about to be revealed after a CCTV image has been handed to police.
Villagers all over the region have been left scratching their own heads after the mysterious appearance of carved stone heads in Goathland on 18 September, which was reported exclusively in the Whitby Gazette.
Some of the heads have gone as suddenly as they arrived but all bear a riddle which has left the unwitting beneficiaries of the sculptures poring over encyclopedias and scouring the internet for clues.
So far everyone has drawn a blank on the meaning of "Twinkle, twinkle, like a star.
Does love flourish from afar?" – an epigram attached to each head.
To read more, visit the Whitby Gazette website by clicking below...
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October 2, 2007 20:27 - Whitby Gothic Weekend
It's nearly time to don the black outfit and head for Whitby.There's a great line-up of bands for this month's Whitby Gothic Festival (Friday 26th - Saturday 27th October).
Click More Info for details AND if you've been to Whitby before AND had the best beach party in the entire world, why not leave a story or a picture to prove it?!
Click below...
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October 3, 2007 14:29 - Yorkshire stone head artist mystery solved
I'm so glad this has been solved...!Artist Billy Johnson revealed as man behind it all
THE WHITBY Gazette has solved the mystery of the stone heads that have appeared in Goathland and across Yorkshire.
Wakefield artist Billy Johnson has been unnmasked as the man who placed the stone carvings at various locations across the country.
According to the company who look after Billy's website the artist was conducting an experiment when he placed the heads in Goathland on 18 September.
Judi Alston, director of One to One Productions confimed it was the artist who was responsible for the mystery.
"He was taking part in an art project whcih was basically to follow the progress of these heads to see if they would take on a life of their own," she said.
"He wanted to see how people would react to being given a free gift. It was not a publicity stunt, I can't think of anyone less interested in media coverage than Billy.
"He is currently in a tent somewhere in Scotland or Ireland with no phone or computer and will not be aware of the huge interest this has caused."
According to the company who look after Billy's website the artist was conducting an experiment when he placed the heads in Goathland on 18 September.
His website www.paradox-carving.co.uk shows a range of heads that the artists has created.
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October 6, 2007 23:23 - Musicport tickets selling well
TICKETS have been selling well for Whitby's Musicport World Music Festival and the event's organisers have their fingers crossed for another sell-out year.It is the last time the event, which attracts thousands of people, will be held at Whitby Pavilion.
The decision to move the festival to Bridlington's Spa next year came because the festival is limited to the number of tickets it can sell in Whitby and with the cost of bringing in high-profile artists rising, it forced them to look for a new venue. There are more than 40 acts lined up to play on the venue's four different stages on 19 to 21 October.
Weekend tickets are priced £92.50 but Musicport is offering a special price to locals with Friday night tickets at £24, Saturday daytime tickets £20, Sunday daytime tickets £20, Sunday all day tickets (day and night) £36, Sunday night tickets £22 for residents living in the following postcode areas – Y021, Y022 and TS13. Day and session tickets are now also on sale ranging from £11 to £45 from the ticketlines on (0845) 3732760 or (01947) 605089.
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October 7, 2007 22:25 - Dracula's Ball
The next Dracula's Ball event takes place on Halloween: Wednesday, October 31st, 2007, from 9pm-2am.
Once in a very blue moon (about every seven years) Halloween happens to fall on a Wednesday night. When this happens, the venerable Dracula's Ball event runs into the only big bad wolf that's been stalking the forest for even longer: Nocturne Wednesdays.
Every week for over eleven years, Nocturne has kept Philadelphia's alternative underground music scene pumping with new life. Don't miss this fantastic convergence of Dracula's Ball and Nocturne Wednesday - it'll be many years before it happens again!
To find out more, click below...
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October 11, 2007 20:41 - Missile base would be target for future conflict
A slightly more serious blog post today. What do YOU think... drop me a line via the Ask Dracula page.Members of Fylingdales Action Network fear that America's missile defence plans could affect local people's health as well as making the North York Moors area a target in a future conflict.
In conjunction with Keeping Space for Peace Week, Network members Jackie Fearnley and Tricia Griffin handed over a letter to Wing Commander Nicky Loveday of Fylingdales RAF Station protesting at the plans.
The letter was part of international demonstrations by similar groups throughout the world.
It said: "It is very hard for people to grasp the far-reaching implications of this plan, but its aim has been spelt out in various policy documents – that it will enable the Americans to achieve full military control of land, sea, air, space and information.
"To achieve such control, the Americans need to be able to make themselves immune from attack and protect the satellites they have in space.
"We in Fylingdales Action Network are particularly disappointed that RAF Fylingdales has now become fully integrated into this scheme, a decision that has been made without the properly informed consent of the British people and no proper parliamentary debate.
"Accommodating a vital part of the Americans' missile defence system here on the North York Moors will make us a more likely future target and not enough is known about the long-term health effects of the type of radiation we are being exposed to.
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October 13, 2007 23:45 - Mysterious carved stone found on headland
Archaeologists have uncovered a rare mysterious carved stone on the Abbey Headland which may be up to 4,000 years old and could give vital clues to the town's eventful history.It is thought the stone, which measures 16 by 20 inches, could date back to the Bronze Age which lasted from 2000BC to 700BC.
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October 14, 2007 18:44 - Musicport premiere for Waterson's work
The world premiere of the songs of the late and much lamented Robin Hood's Bay folk singer Lal Waterson will be unveiled at Whitby Musicport next weekend.Along with brother Mike Waterson and sister Norma Waterson, Lal was at the forefront of the sixties folk revival.
But her creative muse took her along a path that first revealed the force of her songwriting with 1972’s Bright Phoebus.
Mojo magazine rated Lal as up with Nick Drake and Richard Thompson in the very front rank of English songwriters.
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October 19, 2007 10:43 - Less than 2 weeks til Halloween
It's less than two weeks until 31st October and advance tickets for the Halloween Dracula's Ball are flying out the door. Besides being the most exciting and fun holiday of the year, Halloween of course is the last Dracula's Ball event of the year, so don't miss this one, or you'll be waiting until 2008 for the next one!If you're a US visitor, the next Dracula's Ball event takes place on Halloween: Wednesday, October 31st, 2007, from 9pm-2am. Once in a very blue moon (about every seven years) Halloween happens to fall on a Wednesday night. When this happens, the venerable Dracula's Ball event runs into the only big bad wolf that's been stalking the forest for even longer: Nocturne Wednesdays. Every week for over eleven years, Nocturne has kept Philadelphia's alternative underground music scene pumping with new life. Don't miss this fantastic convergence of Dracula's Ball and Nocturne Wednesday - it'll be many years before it happens again!
The venue for Dracula's Ball will once again be Shampoo Nightclub, located at 7th & Willow Streets in Philadelphia.
Do you need a few ghost stories to get yourself in the mood? Click here for inspiration - Ghost Stories
Maybe you need some spooky games to scare yourself witless! Click here - Games for Halloween
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October 22, 2007 12:33 - Bram Stoker Birthday Dinner 2007
Now might be a great time to join the Dracula Society if you want to attend the Bram Stoker Birthday Dinner 2007.The Society's 33rd annual Bram Stoker Birthday Dinner will take place once again at The Lounge Bar in High Holborn (London).
As is customary on this special occasion, the winners of this year's Society Awards have been invited to collect their trophies. Guillermo Del Toro, winner of this year's Hamilton Deane Award for Pan's Labyrinth will receive an award, as will John Llewellyn Probert who will receive the Children of the Night Award for his short story collection, The Faculty of Terror.
This month, Hammer Films' 1958 groundbreaking version of Dracula begins a limited theatrical release in a gloriously restored print. To celebrate this event, the Society has invited two more honoured guests to the dinner: reuniting little Tania with her undead 'Aunt Lucy' after 50 years, actresses janina Faye and Carol Marsh.
Click on the link below to find out more about The Dracula Society
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October 25, 2007 23:17 - Dracula's Christmas Party!
It's all happening at The Dracula Society at the moment!The annual Christmas Party will be held on the 12th December in the Theatre Bar at The Victoria (London).
There'll be Festively Fiendish Gifts presented by Santa, raffle and caption competition.
If you're still not a member, better join quick (click on More Info)...
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October 26, 2007 10:34 - Dracula's Whitby
Here's a great new video about Dracula's WhitbyIt covers all the main sites in Whitby and explores the Count's connection with the town as well as info about Bram Stoker.
I was really impressed with this video - wish I'd made it myself!
Here's the link: Dracula's Whitby
Then, if you want to keep up to date with events in Whitby and the world of Dracula, join our free newsletter, The Whitby Bite.
Click on More Info to subscribe for free...
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October 26, 2007 13:32 - Costume Craze Blowout Sale for Halloween!
With Halloween rapidly approaching I thought you might like to know that Costume Craze are having a Blowout Sale on all their costumes.
Now might be a good time to purchase a costume ready to scare the neighbors (or neighbours!) if you don't want to make a costume.
If you're feeling creative, click here to make your own for free: Dracula Halloween Costume.
Don't forget, the Dracula in Whitby website has Halloween Costumes for both UK AND US/Canadian visitors.
Oh, nearly forgot, you might need some games and ghost stories for the big night. Guess what? I happen to have some of those items too (and instantly downloadable):
Have a happy Fright Night!!!
Click on More Info to go to the Costume Craze Blowout Sale...
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October 30, 2007 19:33 - In the Wake of The Demeter: a Black Sea Odyssey
I know I keep harping on about the wonderful Dracula Society, but this might be a little incentive to join if you like Dracula AND travelling...
A 4 night long weekend in Romania and Bulgaria, taking in Bucharest, the ports of Varna and Constanta, and the resort of Mamaia on the Black Sea Coast. Thursday 5th to Monday 9th June 2008
Transylvania, Whitby, Purfleet, Hampstead and Piccadilly in London... The Dracula Society has, over the years, visited all these locations utlised by Bram Stoker in his novel, Dracula. But never before have Society members travelled to Varna, the port from which the vampire Count embarks on his journey to England.
Varna, in Bulgaria, is one of Europe’s oldest cities, with a long and colourful history, boasting excellent museums and other important sites. We will spend a day here, recreating in our collective imagination the beginning of Dracula’s voyage aboard the Demeter.
Constanta is Romania’s principal port. Called Tomis in ancient times, it was supposedly founded after the capture of the Golden Fleece by Jason and his Argonauts. The poet Ovid was exiled here until his death in 17AD, so there are extensive Greco-Roman remains, as well as Turkish mosques and other historic sites to see.
We will also stay briefly in Romania’s best known coastal resort, Mamaia, with its beach of fine white sand fringed with wild pear trees.
And finally, because our trip begins in Bucharest, we will take the opportunity of visiting the Curtea Veche, the Old Court of the historic Citadel built in the fifteenth century by Vlad Tepes
'In the Wake of The Demeter' is another 'first' for The Dracula Society: a unique experience which is unlikely to feature again in our programme. It is intended as a 'taster' - a trip which will complement and pave the wat for a fuller 12 night tour of Romania planned for 2009. Join us now!
Costs and booking:
The cost of this trip will depend upon final numbers travelling: e.g. £313 for 15 people, £272 for 25 people and £248 for 35 people (please note that these are provisional costings). There is an additional single supplement of £65pp.
NB. This price does not include the flights, which we will book as soon as they become available in early December (estimated cost £50-£60 return). We encourage you to book early (ideally by the end of November) to secure the lowest price. Members please send your bookings and deposits of £90pp to the Treasurer at the usual address.
Non-members should e-mail the Society Executive expressing their wish to be a part of this event. The final balance payments will be due by 31st March 2008.
For more details, click below...
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