Whether it’s Black Sabbath or Napalm Death, Birmingham has always been a city that welcomes society’s outsiders. So why has it taken so long for the city’s alt community to have somewhere it can call home? The Goth’s Playground is here at last as a new “one stop shop for the weirdos in Birmingham to shop local, small and a bit creepy.”
While originally expected to open in May, The Goth’s Playground finally arrives at Digbeth’s Zelling Building this weekend (Saturday, August 30). Inside, discover Birmingham’s new alternative independent space for the odd, weird and macabre—full of everything from taxidermy to piercings, as well as records, clothing, fragrance, and jewellery.
The Goth’s Playground will host nearly 30 independent and alternative businesses—this includes Dolly Rockers Piercing, who will be helping visitors to the space look the part! But whether you’re after a stuffed crow, a Siouxsie and the Banshees T-shirt, or a ‘Rest in Peace Planner’, The Goth’s Playground has you covered.
With a focus on “the darker side of products from all categories,” expect to pick up anything from ritual items and Ouija boards, too, while there are hopes for a permanent tarot reader in the future. The Goth’s Playground also aims to move into hosting music projects by 2026.
This weekend, make sure to fuel your rummaging with aptly-named Goth Burger and its blackened buns and patties from the Zellig carpark—where you will also find Supersonic Festival’s free marketplace (August 30 & 31), which will also be home to a mix of record labels, zine-makers, illustrators, DIY designers, and pedlars of all manner of curiosities.
The Goth’s Playground will open at midday on Saturday, but going forward will open 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday, and 11am to 3pm on Sundays.