Goth Day at Disneyland: November 8 and 9, 2008

Well, the official title of the event is Bats Day at the Fun Park . . . but plenty of us call it Goth Day at Disneyland. It’s the Year of a Million Screams! A thoughtful blog reader left me a comment yesterday to let me know that this year’s dates are November 8 and 9. That’s good news for those who prefer not to be wearing heavy black clothing in the August sun, as they did when I was there for the festivities in 2006, but bad news for those (like me!) whose travel schedules are dictated by our kids’ school vacations as well as our own business commitments.

It was great fun to see all the goths in the parks, especially those in the Gothic & Lolita fashions I love so much (they’re also a staple at anime conventions, since they grew out of Harajuku street fashion). There’s also a great shopping venue, the Black Market, where goth attire and tschotkes are available from independent and corporate vendors. It was really cool to meet one of the artists behind the Haunted Mansion comic books, I picked up a few odds and ends, and I deferred explaining some of the merchandise to my then-10-year-old son (I’m not sure he wanted his mom telling him why they were selling whips anyway). I’ll confess that I felt a bit out of place . . . I didn’t have the appropriate wardrobe as I’m not a goth myself, though given the circles I run in I definitely consider myself a spiritual kin. It was sweet and amusing how some of the vendors spoke to me, in the gentle tones of a kind soul explaining an alien culture . . . I’m sure they didn’t realize I was throwing up at CBGBs and dying my hair blue when they were but a twinkle in their mom’s eye.

If you’re going to be anywhere near Disneyland when Goth Days are in session, I really recommend heading over to check it out. If you have any goth or metal aesthetic at all, the Black Market is a great place to support independent vendors and pick up awesome stuff at decent prices. And, of course, the people-watching on the main day at Disneyland is phenomenal. And even if this isn’t your cultural thing . . . it’s still a great day to be in the park, as I commented on last year after reading a Disneyland Cast Member’s comments at Progressive U. I wish I could be there myself!