When he's not busy crafting imaginative costumes, Doc Cotton loves nothing more than a good party. He's the one who knows how to turn any gathering into a memorable event, infusing it with fun and excitement.

A Hawaiian shirt would be a good choice. If the shirt looks like you could win a bad taste competition wearing it then it will most likely be ideal. In June, Tel Aviv hosts one of the world’s largest Pride celebrations, with parties around the city for a whole week. June 5-11 The next thing you will need is a rain coat. Ideally you should be looking for a fairly lightweight rain coat. If you’re looking for a fun and easy costume idea, why not try dressing up as a tourist? A tourist costume is a great option for Halloween, costume parties, or even for a themed event. There’s a Purim party happening in the 3,000-year-old Tower of David. It’s an extraordinary cultural destination on an average day, but tonight is another level: masked revellers dance under ancient city fortifications as a light installation flashes over the walls, telling the 5,000-year-old story of the city.It also feels like a timeless celebration in a place that has been hosting festivities for millennia. A visit to Jerusalem shows you layer upon layer and streets upon streets of history and culture. A feast of fish shawarma with green leaves on whipped tomatoes, garlic white bean salad, the most gorgeous garden veggies and delicately spiced whole roasted cauliflower, a speciality here, is laid before us. The reason the rain coat you choose should be lightweight is so you can use the arms to easily fasten it around your waist. A door from the Wailing Wall leads to the Arabic quarter of the old city, which bursts with another kind of life. And being here at Purim heightens the magic of the place. There are countless types of halva, spices, teas, legumes, nuts and fruits piled high outside shopfronts. It’s also where locals come to buy trays of hamantaschen – sweets given as gifts for Purim – filled with poppy seeds, dates and chocolate spread.

Laila Lavan (meaning White Night) is one of the biggest nights of the year. It’s a dusk-until-dawn affair, with exhibitions, beach concerts and parties. Late June – date TBC You have a range of choices here. You have the choice of a straw hat, a baseball style hat or a simple cloth sunhat. On my visit during last year’s Purim, after two years of Covid and quiet time, Tel Aviv is pulsing with partygoers. “There’s a custom of ‘ad lo yada’ – that people should drink until they don’t know the difference between the good guys and the bad guys in the Purim story,” Ken continues. Young families gather to join the parade led by giant puppets inspired by the work of the famous Israeli painter, sculptor and author Nahum Gutma.We head to up-and-coming Florentin – where a hipster vibe spills onto the streets from it’s bohemian cafes and bars, and eclectic galleries complement the street art and graffiti. Doc Cotton is a man of simple pleasures and diverse interests. His heart belongs to the world of cosplay, costumes and fancy dress, with a special fondness for Halloween, where his creative spirit truly shines. Over the years he has been hired by people across the country to make custom halloween costumes and other fancy dress for specific events. An Israeli breakfast is the best way to dust off our hangovers the following morning. It’s a delicious shakshuka (poached eggs in a tomato sauce) served alongside a mountain of homemade breads, Turkish burekas (pastry) and Mediterranean dips, before our guide, Sergey, arrives to take us costume shopping.