The Undead Way to Celebrate Dracula Day

From left to right: Bram Stoker, Vlad Tepes and Bela Lugosi as Dracula

On May 26^th, 1897, Bram Stoker’s notorious novel Dracula was published. More than a century later, the vampire tale has indeed proven to be as immortal as its protagonist. There have been films, TV shows, music, books, art and entertainment events inspired by the Count. Stoker’s work has left such an indelible mark on, not just the literary world, but the creative world in general that there is a day dedicated to it—Dracula Day. There are many ways to celebrate and following you will find ideas for how to throw a fangtastic vampire soiree, whether alone or with others!

Vampire Wine & Cocktails

There’s nothing like enjoying a delicious libation when celebrating a special occasion. While Dracula’s drink of choice would be blood, you can come close with Vampire Vineyards’ selection of wines. They offer a Dracula Merlot, Pinot Noir and Sparkling Rose, as well as other red and white wine varietals. I love the Vampire Merlot. They also sell non-alcoholic drink options, like coffee and tea. Visit the Vampire Vineyards official website to learn more.

Vampire Movies & TV Shows

Claes Bang as Dracula in the Netflix series Dracula (© BBC)

Now that you’ve got your drink of choice in hand, you’re ready for some entertainment. With so many options of Dracula-inspired films and shows, it’s difficult to choose which to mention. If you’re in the mood to binge-watch, I suggest hopping on Netflix and seeing the animated series Castlevania or the mini-series Dracula based on Stoker’s book. Other recommendations include Nosferatu, Dracula starring Bela Lugosi, Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Dracula 2000 and Dracula Untold. Plus, there are countless other vampire films worth viewing. This is far from a complete list, but it’s a good start.

Vampire-Themed Music

Nox Arcana's Transylvania album — Nox Arcana’s Transylvania album

Nothing sets the mood like music. For a darkly ethereal ambience, I love listening to the Transylvania album by Nox Arcana or Midnight Syndicates’ Vampyre: Symphonies from the Crypt. If you’re into alternative rock, definitely play the Dracula 2000 and Queen of the Damned film soundtracks with the volume turned all the way up! Here are a few other recommendations:

Orgy of the Vampires by Terrortron
Empire of the Vampire by Paralysed Age
Vampire Queen and Vampyre Erotica by Inkubus Sukkubus

Travel to Dracula’s Castle

Bran Castle, aka Dracula's Castle (Photo by Jorge Fernandez Salas) — Bran Castle, aka Dracula’s Castle (Photo by Jorge Fernandez Salas)

Explore the country Vlad Tepes called home—Romania! If you can’t plan a trip at the moment, you can still experience the magic of Transylvania by visiting the Dracula Castle official website. Also known as Bran Castle, this historic building sits atop a cliff and is at least 600 years old. There’s no evidence of Vlad Tepes having any direct connection to it, but it’s been said that Bram Stoker based the castle in his novel off of this architectural wonder.

Vampire Podcasts

Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France, has 14 bat figures hidden in various places throughout the grounds and some believe the grave the original Dracula was transported to is located here

I recently jumped on the podcast bandwagon and immediately searched for shows on vampires. My recommendation is Rose Sinister: Vampires. Host Rose Sinister resides in New Orleans and formerly worked as a guide for Haunted History Tours, showcasing the more macabre side of the city. Her podcast explores vampire folklore in a historical context, providing well-researched insight. Her episodes examine these nocturnal creatures in books and film including Nosferatu, Underworld, Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles, Blade, The Twilight Saga, Dracula and many more.

Vampiric Literature

Revisiting Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the obvious choice, but there’s a plethora of vampire reading material out there. One I highly recommend is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. The book creates an intriguing tale by fusing together the historical figure Vlad Tepes and the fictional character Dracula. For those who’d like to know more about the real man Vlad the Impaler, have a look at In Search of Dracula by Raymond T. McNally and Radu Florescu, which includes extensive research into the true history of Vlad III and the vampire legends he spawned.

Custom Fangs by Father Sebastiaan

If you’ve read my blog posts on the Endless Night Vampire Ball, then you know that Father Sebastiaan is a world-renowned master fangsmith. He used to take in-person appointments regularly, but now the sessions are arranged by invite only. However, he’s created a new website where you can order customized Sabretooth-3D printed fangs. The new service allows you to take your own dental imprints to mail back for custom-made fangs. I was fortunate enough to meet with him virtually for a consultation before he stopped taking appointments. You can read all about my fang consultation. What better way to show your loyalty to Dracula than with a shiny new pair of incisors?

I hope these recommendations have given you some fun ideas on how to commemorate Dracula Day. Please do share if you have other suggestions!

If your appetite for the vampiric is not yet satiated, then you may also be interested in The 10 Most Intriguing Vampires of Legend & Lore and Best Los Angeles Spots to Visit for Vampire Lovers.