Maldon will host the inaugural Goldfields Gothic Festival of Dark Ideas this July.
As part of the town’s annual Maldon in Winter series, the new festival celebrates the dark side of the goldfields with performances, tours, themed food experiences, conversations on dark topics and a range of strange and unforgettable happenings sure to surprise, delight, incite and excite you.
The new festival is the brainchild of Co-Festival Directors Valentina Tansley and Paul Kooperman, who are aiming to help revitalise the COVID-impacted town. “As a National Trust Notable Town, Maldon has always been a tourist destination. In late 2021 we felt there was a real thirst in the community to revitalise the events program, so we came up with the idea to do something a little different this year.” The pair are also aiming to bring new audiences to town. “There is a perception that Maldon is attractive solely to retirees, but we want to challenge that concept by showcasing all the amazing architecture, history and hospitality Maldon has to offer to a younger audience too”.
From the 1850s, the Victorian goldfields were home not only to miners but also a darker undercurrent of ghost-hoaxers, spiritualists and secret societies. Inspired by these intriguing stories of the past, Goldfields Gothic showcases the dark side of the goldfields in all its gruesome glory.
This exciting new festival of events will take place from the 1 July- 3 July and includes The Gothic & Victorian Picnic – a free family-friendly event in Maldon’s shire gardens; a live performance by legendary Australian dark alternative band IKON; a special meeting of the internationally renowned Death Café at Café Maldon, a uniquely crafted Dark High Tea at Maldon Rose, Ghost Tours by award-winning spook sleuths Twisted History, Drawing Gothic at Cascade Gallery and a street display of collectible Hearses.
More information and events will be announced in the coming weeks, so be sure to follow the Goldfields Gothic Instagram and Facebook accounts for updates.
Come dressed in your blackest finery and experience the dark side this winter in Maldon.
Goldfields Gothic takes place 1 – 3 July as part of Maldon in Winter.
Visit https://goldfieldsgothic.com for more information and to book tickets.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 25 March 2022.
