Groups of people — dressed all in black, hair teased into haystacks, silver hardware shining in the sunlight — moved in small masses across the parking lot like dark clouds descending.
Once inside, a growing swarm of blackness became a sharp contrast to the colorful, kiddie-land rides. It wasn’t a funeral taking place; it was the Gothic Takeover at Lakeside Amusement Park, an annual occurrence that organizers bill as Colorado’s largest subculture event.
For some context, the goth movement broke out of the London club scene in the mid-1980s. It became a post-punk tribal movement that dove deep into a dark counterculture that embraced dressing in edgy, vampire-inspired attire, dramatic makeup and a soundtrack of melancholic, atmospheric music from bands including Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sisters of Mercy and others. It became a community for those who didn’t fit in or didn’t want to fit into mainstream culture.
Some four decades later, the movement continues, including a robust scene in Colorado, who attend multiple events and club nights in Denver throughout the year. Candace Ó Fearáin-Black founded the Gothic Takeover in her teens because she wanted a place where people could connect and meet other like-minded individuals.
“When we started in 2016, I thought it would be a small gathering with some friends. But to my surprise, the Facebook event page went viral,” she says.
This year’s event drew hundreds of goths who trickled in and out throughout the day and participated in group photo sessions, carousel rides and a picnic. While the crowd may look scary to the uninitiated, they were uncharacteristically all smiles and very friendly.
“It’s a very welcoming community that attracts those looking to find themselves,” Ó Fearáin-Black says. “My cousin attended for the first time this year and was worried about how she would be perceived, but everyone welcomed her with open arms."
And with this group, the star of the show is the fashion. Women wore corsets, fishnet stockings and big hair. The guys donned bondage pants, top hats and graphic t-shirts. Both wore big boots and an abundance of silver accessories from jewelry to studded belts, collars and harnesses. It’s a look that’s endured since the beginning with a few evolutions such as bright-colored cybergoths, ‘90s mall goths, white and pastel-dressed goths, and crossovers with emo, steampunk, pinup and Victorian dressing.
Here are a few of the best fits spotted at this year’s annual gathering:
