Thursday Night: Dark Force Pre-Party at QXT’s
QXT’s DJ’s spin goth and industrial all night on 3 dancefloors.
QXTs is at: 248 Mulberry St, Newark, NJ 07102
Free admission w/ 3-Day Dark Force Fest Ticket
Thursday at 9pm
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Live Bats Presentation + Exhibit by Joseph D’Angeli / The BATCAVE at The WILD Life! Conservation Center
Yep, the bats are back for 2026! Once again Joseph D’Angeli the NJ Batman will be hosting a live bats presentation / Q&A panel, followed by a live bats exhibit.
Joseph D’Angeli is a State and Federally licensed bat specialist, educator and exhibitor. He and his bats have appeared at THOUSANDS of schools, libraries, zoos and nature centers since 1992. His beautiful bats have also appeared in numerous TV shows and periodicals- including the NY Times, Daily News, Star Ledger, Regis and Kathy Lee, and more recently, History Channel’s ‘Monsterquest’ Expedition X and the Science Channel’s Oddities shows, as well as appearing at the prestigious American Museum of Natural History for a string of sold out shows.
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Diiiotima Arts Fire Performance
Diiiotima (dai•uh•tee•muh) is a boutique New York–based production company dedicated to curating unconventional performance art that blurs the lines between ritual, theater, and spectacle, specializing in night-circus environments shaped by fire performance, sideshow, burlesque, and immersive theatrical elements. Favoring the liminal over excess, their productions invite audiences into worlds that feel discovered rather than staged, where shadow and spectacle intertwine and something half-remembered stirs.
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Professional Monstrosity Sideshow by Lady Gypsy
With over a dozen years of sideshow shenanigans under her utility belt, Lady Gypsy the Professional Monstrosity does it ALL so you don’t have to!
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Last Dance Goth Club
Dj’s spin post-punk, goth and dark wave.
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Cybertron Industrial Club
DJ’s spin Industrial, Electro, EBM at Cybertron – NYC’s industrial club event that was started in 2004 by VampireFreaks.
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Gothic Clothing and Arcane Item Swap
Whether we have changed in body or spirit, it can be time to let things go. Goth clothing, dark edged accessories, and cool arcane items are often very pricey and can be an acquired taste, so why not allow your stuff to find a new loving home?
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Nightmare Before Christmas Shadowcast
Zen Productions presents a live shadowcast of Tim Burton’s epic movie, Nightmare Before Christmas! Watch the film on screen as they act out the film live!
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Costume Contest
Impress our judges and you could win a prize that honors your creativity! Wear your favorite Hero (or villain, as we might have a weakness for them), or inspire us with a bold, original design that highlights your unique perspective on cosplay!
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Drag Show
Be shocked and amazed by our epic selection of strange and unusual Drag performers!
Music by DJ Kangal
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Rock Band Tournament
Show off your skills in the Rock Band Videogame and compete for prizes!
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Pool Party
Official Dark Force Fest Pool Party at the Sheraton’s Pool! Featuring hosts Mighty Mike Saga and Symbiotikat
Saturday, 3pm-7pm
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QXT’s Club Party
Join QXT’s resident DJ’s Ian Fford, Scott Helixx, Bob Dooley, Dyztort and Luna from New Jersey’s longest running goth club, going strong for over 33 years.
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Ceremony Goth Club
The Nite Church presents Ceremony, from the same crew that brought you Underworld and Red Party in NYC. DJ’s Sean Templar, Erik Aengel, and Matt V Christ. Spinning Post Punk, New Wave, Gothic.
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Cemetery Cinema: The Crow
Hosted by Baron Misuraca, Cemetery Cinema returns with an officially licensed screening of The Crow
After our screening and discussion concludes, be sure to enter our best scream contest and compete for some monstrous prizes!
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Fashion Show
Watch our beautiful models strut their stuff wearing a carefully curated of outfits from Dark Force vendors.
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The Red Party Gothic Brunch DJ Party
Join DJ Sean Templar and guests for an afternoon dance party, streamed live on Twitch.
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Cyber Goth Industrial Dance Battle
Are you an Industrial Dancer? Transport back to the early 2000s and join us for Dark Force Fest’s first ever Industrial Dance Battle!
People will be grouped by experience and will show off their moves!