Taken from Whitby Jo’s forum post on 15/5/2010:

As long ago as last April we knew that Easter would clash with the traditonal ‘last weekend in April’ for WGW. This is not an easy problem to solve as many factors are involved in the decision for the 2011 dates which include negotiation with other festivals taking place in Whitby through the spring that have their own set dates, the May Bank Holiday, Kids School Holidays and High/Low Season.

Thank you to regulars for pointing out that WGW dates for the following year are never usually announced until the Halloween of the previous year. So in the normal scheme of things we would be announcing 2011 dates this Halloween.

We are currently disussing options with Scarborough Borough Council and I have a meeting with the Spa next week and a meeting with the Tourism department at the end of the month. The wheels of any council move very slowly as some of you may know.

As Old Goth said: Anyone who has been told any dates has been given hearsay information as none of the WGW team NOT EVEN ME know what the dates for 2011 are. The Spa does not always have a duty manager on site. We hold our meetings in the cafe bar and I can only assume that the person(s) who picked up the phone to the people in this thread were Cafe or Bar staff who have caught part of a conversation which in turn has caused a bit of a broo-ha-ha.

Over the last few months and even prior to that we have stressed, even on the front page of our site that the dates are liable to vary slightly and that accom is booked at your own risk. I would never DELIBERATELY keep the dates from WGW attendees and as soon as I have them they’ll be posted on the front page.

Imagine the frustration for us. We cant book or negotiate with ANY bands planning tours or dates

As someone pointed out everyone is in the same boat as we’re all at the same starting post (even me) and when the starting pistol goes then the calls for accom begin. No-one has a head start over anyone else.

As (rather daftly in retrospect) we have had the last weekend in April as the norm, We’re very prone to Easter and May Bank Holidays and even the Start of British Summertime. We’ve had the clocks go back over WGW and even bank holiday on the Monday following the event in April. So April is always likely to fluctuate

As for Halloween the last 2 or 3 years we’ve been spoiled by the fact WGW has actually fallen on Halloween night. In 2011 it falls on a Monday and as the years progress, as it has previously, Halloween will move into midweek which means that WGW can jump either way.

So you see there never has and never will be a strict pattern to it.

Hunter – I dont know in what field you work in where you need to book your holidays three years in advance; thats a pretty harsh employer. We dont give dates more than a year in advance because we work around so many factors, bank holidays, other festivals in Whitby and, most importantly, when bands are on tour and available.

I’ll contact Ingrid Flute and give them an update on the situation, in the meantime, as Loki said, any specualtoin is merely that as Loki said it can lead to a loss of cash

The only confirmed dates for 2011 are the ones that will be posted on the front page of this very site, the same day that I have them

Im sorry this doesnt help you guys, but please understand that I’m doing my upmost to cement the dates.

Thanks,

Whitby Jo.