Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival
The Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival 2018 will take place at the Villa Marina Gardens on:
- Saturday 15 September – 10am to 9pm
- Sunday 16 September – 10am to 5pm
It is the biggest annual showcase of Isle of Man food and drink and boasts a produce marquee, tasting opportunities, caterers, demonstrations, activities for children and the Isle of Man Chef of the Year competition and Student Chef of the Year competitions. In 2017 over 60 exhibitors and 8,500 visitors attended.
Off Island packages are available at Visit Isle of Man.
Hot Dog Eating competition
This competition is generously sponsored by Dave's Delicious Dogs who make gourmet American style hot dogs from only Manx meat. The winning prize is an American style BBQ for up to 100 people. The competition will take place at the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival on Saturday 15 September 2018 at the Theatre marquee, at the Villa Marina Gardens at 6pm. The closing date for entry is 1 September. For more information please see downloadable document.
About the Festival
This year Festival regulars will be joined by new exhibitors including Isle of Man Quinoa, Smoo, Gelatory, Hound & Howl and Black Dog Oven, and the celebrity guest will be none other than Adam Henson of BBC1’s Countryfile.
Adam Henson’s participation and planned rendezvous with local farmers via the Manx National Farmers’ Union unites both our food and agricultural sectors, reinforcing the farm-to-fork concept while highlighting the Isle of Man as a top foodie destination.
The packed programme ensures there is something for everyone, with an interactive children’s tent, milking cows, rare breed animals, cooking demonstrations, artisan crafts, celebrity book signing, live music, craft beers and local wines. It also sees Manx-born chef Colin Clague, who has worked in some of the world’s leading restaurants, join the judging panel for the Isle of Man Chef of the Year and Student Chef of the Year competitions.
For those looking to relax into the evening, Saturday’s late night opening will offer an eclectic mix of street foods and local entertainment, kick-started by the Island’s annual Hot Dog Eating Competition hosted by Dave’s Delicious Dogs, where the winner of the coveted mustard-yellow belt will be decided as contestants go head-to-head representing their chosen organisation.
Also introduced this year is a conscious effort to take steps towards a ‘greener’ festival. Partly triggered by the Island’s membership with the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves, exhibitors are making individual pledges to reduce their environmental impact over the course of the festival weekend.
The festival’s popularity reflects the growth in Isle of Man food and drink, being driven by DEFA's Food Matters strategy, and the growing desire among people to support local food and drink producers and businesses.
Isle of Man food and drink producers are toasting their best ever year in Great Taste Awards – the ‘Oscars’ of the food industry. The Guild of Fine Food has announced that 56 Isle of Man products have won awards, double the number achieved in 2016.
The Festival will be celebrating a milestone in 2018 when it will be celebrating it’s 10th anniversary.
Sponsorship is an important part of the Festival and if you are interested in knowing more please see Sponsorship Opportunties in the downloadable documents.
