Street food, beer, cider and cocktails, music, demonstrations and the first ever hotdog-eating contest mean there will be plenty to enjoy on the Saturday evening of the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival.
The festival takes place at the Villa Marina Gardens on Saturday 16 September (10am-9pm) and Sunday 17 September (10am-5pm).
During the daytime, there is a packed programme of events in the Manx Cookery Theatre, activities for children, the chance to taste and buy food and drink from local producers and plenty of places to have lunch, a snack and a drink.
When evening arrives on Saturday, the festival is just as vibrant, with lots for all the family to stay on and experience.
At 6pm, Dave’s Delicious Dogs hosts a new festival feature, a competition for individuals to eat as many of his Great Taste Award-winning, Manx-made hotdogs as they can in five minutes. Entries are now closed.
Another new fresh feature of the event is Tent up Top, a pop-up venue on the top of the Villa Marina Colonnade.
It’s a collaboration between festival regulars The Alpine and new business lewislewis, bartenders for functions and events.
The evening will feature a pop-up, Tiki-style barbecue dinner with exotic cocktails and music.
Volunteers from CAMRA will run what is believed will be the longest bar of Manx ales and ciders ever assembled.
There will be 28 hand-pumped beers and ciders from local brewers The Hooded Ram, Bushy’s, Okell’s, Old Laxey Brewing Co and Manx Cider – among them two wheat beers, a gluten-free beer.
The Hooded Ram will launch new beers at the festival.
On the adjacent live music stage, Birds and Beers at 5pm will be followed by Shoddywoddy from 6.30pm and Truman Falls from 8pm.
The Hooded Ram will also host a beer and food-pairing demonstration in the Manx Cookery Theatre from 7pm to 8.30pm.
Martyn Perkins MHK, Member of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, said:
‘The festival is a hive of activity during the daytime and the Saturday evening offers the chance to relax, enjoy superb local food, drink and music and socialise in a real festival atmosphere – all at no extra admission price.’
Tickets for the festival cost just £4 (day) and £5 (weekend) for adults, with admission free for under 16s.
Saturday tickets and weekend passes allow festival-goers to stay into the evening while there is free admission after 6pm to those who haven’t attended during the daytime.
Tickets can be booked via www.villagaiety.com or purchased on the gate.
Dogs are not permitted at the festival, but guide dogs are allowed.
For more information about the festival, visit www.gov.im/food, follow the festival on Facebook via Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival 2017, on Twitter @iomfoodanddrink and on Instagram at isleofmanfoodanddrink.
The festival is sponsored by PokerStars, Robinson’s, Magnet, Thai Thai, Isle of Man Teas and The Abbey and The Forge restaurants and held In Association with Manx Radio.
