A full timetable of the exciting programme of performances and activities will be published before the event in print, PDF, and online.
All entertainment and activities are free except Saturday night’s Krampus Ball.
This event is now a weekend family-friendly festival with processions and performances across the town. It is also a fundraiser with street collections for Whitby DAG, please bring cash.
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Winter breathes across the North Sea, and through the arches of the Abbey ruins the wind whispers a familiar call. As darkness deepens, the beasts stir once more - lanterns flicker, bells ring, and Whitby prepares to welcome the return of its most extraordinary winter celebration.
The Wild Things Return to Whitby
👹Whitby Krampus Run marks its 11th year from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th December, transforming the town into a living stage of folklore, music, and mischief.
Over the weekend, Krampus and companions roam the streets, shifting between centuries, stirring myth and modernity in equal measure.
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Friday 5th December
8.00pm - Meat and Greet the Krampus
At the Royal Hotel Whitby (Free Entry)
Meet your Whitby Krampus Krew… then be entertained. Expect close-up magic from The Three Wise(ish) Men, haunting folk-horror from Seven-Headed Raven, and industrial-punk chaos from Syd.31.
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Saturday 6th December
From 11.00am - roaming Krampus, street performances, processions, and magickal beasts throughout the town.
Children’s activities, selected stalls, and WKR merchandise available throughout the day at The Royal Hotel.
As dusk falls, Whitby Trommel Fiends summon ancient spirits at The Whalebones, drumming a welcome to the arrival of the Viking boat as beacons flare across the harbour. Join in the communal drumming to signal the evening has begun. Bring the noise.
4.45pm - The return of Mister Fox to Dock End, the legendary Yorkshire fire-dance performance troupe.
7.15pm - Tengu Taiko Drummers at Whitby Brewery
Free event.
The Yellow Whitby Tour Bus then carries revellers back to The Royal Hotel for:
A special musical number at the Whalebones before
The Krampus Ball - 9.00pm–1.00am
Featuring the amazing acts - The Midsommars and Galdorcræft
Ticketed (£23) :
Age limit 14+ with adult / 16+ unaccompanied.
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Sunday 7th December
1.00pm - The Reindeer Games at Cholmley House
Bravery and absurdity compete for glory, culminating in the traditional annual ‘Oss Race’.
As twilight falls, a lantern procession makes its way from Cholmley House to Whitby Brewery for closing revels with Petrol Hoers and a rousing Oompahty to end the weekend in full folkloric flourish.
Free event.
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Whitby doesn’t hide from the winter’s cold, it embraces it, dressing the darkness in bells, fur, and flame.
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🎟 Krampus Ball Tickets (£23):
https://www.fatsoma.com/e/3mg7v9xl/whitby-krampus-run-ball-6th-december
📅 Event Info:
Facebook Event Page
https://facebook.com/events/s/whitby-krampus-run-ball-6th-de/1328401288858929/
🌐 Website
https://www.decadentdrawing.com
Whitby Krampus Run extends thanks to Visit North Yorkshire and North Yorkshire Council , The Royal Hotel, Royal Whitby Events, Whitby Brewery, YHA Whitby, Whitby Abbey, and Made in Whitby for their continued support.
More to follow…
ELF — Ever Lasting Folklore. Be Güt.
After a storm-defying 10th anniversary that saw Krampus triumph over Storm Daragh, WKR launches into its 11th year (ELF) with more attractions across Whitby, uniting the community and offering visitors a magical, alternative twist on the festive season.
The streets will once again echo with bells, chains, and the clatter of cloven hooves as one of the UK’s most striking winter folklore events returns — bigger, bolder, and beastlier than ever. ⸻
Two Nights of Dark Festive Revelry at The Royal Hotel
Friday 5th December – Meet the Beast From 8pm, get up close with Krampus before a free evening of magic and music:
• The Three Wise(ish) Men – Close-up magic and mischievous charm.
• Seven-Headed Raven – Folk horror trio weaving Latvian and British traditions into haunting, hypnotic soundscapes.
• SYD.31 – Horror-punk/industrial-metal chaos: think The Misfits and The Prodigy in a bar brawl.
Saturday 6th December – The Krampus Ball The weekend’s crowning spectacle — music, mischief, and mythological mayhem.
• Tengu Taiko Drummers at Whitby Brewery: thunderous rhythms to stir the spirits.
• The Midsommars – Gothic folk ensemble conjuring candlelit atmospheres and eerie reimaginings of forgotten songs.
• Galdorcræft – Dark Neo Folk invoking ancient pantheons and ritual power through haunting melodies and magick-infused performance.
Tickets include: Entry to The Krampus Ball at The Royal Hotel plus transport from Whitby Brewery around 9pm.
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