Demon ‘runners’ entertain as Krampus visits seaside town
A MYTHICAL beast that is said to be the dark counterpart of Saint Nicholas has been celebrated in Whitby.
The Krampus Run, which has become an annual festive tradition in the ancient port, is themed around the “half-goat, half-demon” from European folklore who appears before Christmas and punishes children who have been badly-behaved.
Dozens of people in elaborate horned masks paraded through Whitby, as spectators lined the streets for the charity event.
While the legend goes that naughty children are carried off in backpacks, youngsters in Whitby enjoyed face painting, drumming and art workshops.
The inaugural Krampus Run was in 2015, and crowd numbers have been rising every year since.
The parade began at the bottom of the 199 steps leading up to Whitby Abbey, on Church Street, and ended in Market Place, with a street collection along the route for the Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary.
Adults also enjoyed the Krampus Ball, which raised a total of £1,680 in ticket sales that will be handed over to the St Catherine’s Hospice, while raffle funds were donated to Whitby and Scarborough Dog Rescue.