World Dracula Day is observed annually on May 26. The international holiday commemorates the publication date of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” which was published on May 26, 1897. The Whitby Dracula Society 1897 established the event in 2012. The majority of “Dracula,” one of the most famous Gothic literary works in the world, was composed in the 1890s. While on vacation in the town of Whitby, Stoker discovered the name ‘Dracula’ in the public library and presumed it was Romanian for ‘devil.’ Stoker primarily derived inspiration for his writing from Transylvanian folklore and history.
HISTORY OF WORLD DRACULA DAY
World Dracula Day was established in 2012 by the Whitby Dracula Society 1897, which is situated in the English village of Whitby Abbey. The society, founded in 1897, recognises the cultural significance of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” over the past century. Intriguingly, the town is the novel’s spiritual origins; it was inspired by Gothic architecture. According to the Society’s Facebook page, “The Society works hard every day to promote and curate all aspects of the heritage of Dracula, Stoker, and all other related gothic interests in Whitby, and conducts regular walking tours of all the key sites of interest to both vampire fans and the general public.”
The plot of “Dracula” is narrated through diary entries, letters, and newspaper articles in an epistolary format. It tells the tale of Jonathan Harker, a solicitor, who encounters Count Dracula at his castle in the Carpathian Mountains in order to assist him in purchasing a home in the vicinity of London. Harker uncovers Dracula’s vampireism and escapes the castle alive after Dracula flees to England and terrorises the town of Whitby. Manhunters commanded by Abraham Van Helsing track down and ultimately kill Dracula.
Following its publication, the novel received mostly favourable reviews, but some criticism for being too terrifying. The novel has become so ingrained in popular culture that its characters have inspired numerous archetypes in other works of literature. Over thirty film adaptations of Count Dracula have been made, and an American edition of the novel was published in 1899.
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5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT “DRACULA”
This book was only six pence.
When “Dracula” was first published in 1897, it cost only six pence, but a first edition would cost approximately $8,000 today.
Stoker was not a wealthy man.
Stoker did not receive any royalties for the first thousand copies sold of “Dracula.”
His widow sold his papers.
Stoker’s widow sold the novel’s early draughts to a New York bookseller for only two pounds and two pence in 1913.
The notes reached the United States.
The notes were acquired by the Rosenbach Museum and Library in Philadelphia in 1970.
“Dracula” is perpetually in print.
As an enduring classic, “Dracula” has never been out of print since its initial publication.
WORLD DRACULA DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 26 | Friday |
| 2024 | May 26 | Sunday |
| 2025 | May 26 | Monday |
| 2026 | May 26 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | May 26 | Wednesday |
