Sponsors are sought for the award-winning Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival.

The festival, run by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA), takes place at the Villa Marina Gardens on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th September 2016.

The 2015 festival was hailed as the best yet, attracting more than 7,000 visitors who were enticed along by the best ever line-up of producers and caterers and additional attractions.

Last month, it won the PokerStars Award for Public Sector Achievement of the Year at Isle of Man Newspapers’ Awards for Excellence.

‘The festival is the showpiece event of Food Matters, our strategy to grow the value of Isle of Man food and drink to the economy by ?50 million,’ said Richard Ronan MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture.

‘Visitors from on and off the Island attend in large numbers to try, and buy, the great selection of local food and drink and enjoy competitions, demonstrations, live music and a family atmosphere.

‘The event hosts the final of the prestigious Chef of the Year contest, which is always closely contested, as well as activities for children,’ the Minister continued.

‘The festival attracts excellent media coverage, both on and, increasingly, off the Island, and provides an unrivalled opportunity for sponsors to raise their profile as supporters of Manx produce and the local economy.’

There are gold and silver sponsorship packages available.

To discuss becoming a sponsor, contact Audrey Fowler, Marketing Officer at DEFA via audrey.fowler@gov.im or 01624 685856.

Information about the festival can be found at www.gov.im/food and information about Food Matters can be found at www.whereyoucan.com/fooddrink. 

Photo - The 2015 festival.