This is a list of regular festivals and events in the Isle of Man, both traditional and recently established.
Traditional annual events
The Isle of Man is a Celtic nation, and as such there are close correspondences to Irish and Scottish festivals.
Event | Manx Gaelic name | Date | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Beltane (May Day) | Boaldyn | 1 May | Traditional Celtic celebration of the return of summer |
Tynwald Day | Laa Tinvaal | 5 July (usually) |
Annual open-air promulgation of the laws |
Mhelliah | Sept–Oct | Harvest festival | |
Samhain | Sauin | 31 Oct– 1 Nov |
Traditional Celtic celebration of the beginning of winter Oie Houney = “Night of Sauin” |
Halloween | Hop-tu-Naa | More recent celebration of Halloween/Sauin | |
Hunt the Wren | Shelg y Drean | 26 Dec | St. Stephen’s Day |
Modern sports events
Event | Notes |
---|---|
Motor cycling and motor racing | |
Tourist Trophy (TT) | The most famous and important event on the island. |
International VMCC TT Rally | Held during TT Week. It is a motorcycle event that lasts six days and is organised to take place on non-race days. |
Douglas Beach Race | This motorcycle race is held on Douglas Foreshore during TT week. The bikes race over huge man-made sandcastles. |
Ramsey Sprint | The Ramsey Sprint has been run since 1978 and is one of the biggest events outside the T.T. races. |
Formula 2 Stockcar Manx Open F2 TT | The stockcar racing is a contact motorsport where the more experienced drivers start at the rear of each race. They have a set number of laps to make their way to the front, using their bumper to push their opponents aside. |
The Manx Two Day Trial | The Manx National Two Day Trial is for solo and sidecar competitions. The event covers all areas of the Island over two days. The event caters for modern and older machinery. One of the biggest and best Trials in Europe with two full days of Off Road endeavour. |
The VMCC Manx Rally | A week of events for vintage motorcycle enthusiasts, centred on the Manx GP Week. |
Coastal events | |
Round the Island Yacht Race | Held on 4 May 2008. A large event that is held every year. They race anti-clockwise around the island. Although this is a competitive sport there is also a full social programme. The participants compete for a chance to win a trophy but also to be awarded PY handicap points. |
Ramsey Angling Festival | Includes a series of beach fishing competitions held over the weekend. Held annually. |
Mannin Angling Club Festival | The event consists of two shore and five boat fishing competitions. Boat competitions are classed in two categories: private and charter. |
Other sport events | |
Crown Green Bowls Festivals | During the events calendar there are two bowls competitions: the June Festival and the September Festival. |
Parish Walk | Long-distance walking event visiting all 17 historic parishes of the island |
Isle of Man Dance Festival | |
Manx Mountain Marathon | A 31-mile fell race from Ramsey to Port Erin. The course is mostly on fells and country and visits all the major hill summits. The race is one of athletics ultimate challenges covering difficult, rugged terrain as it visits the Isle of Man’s major peaks. |
Isle of Man Easter Athletics | A three-day festival of athletics held at various places on the island over the Easter weekend. The event attracts adult competitors of all abilities from clubs and heavily from universities throughout the UK. A 10k road race is held on Good Friday, Peel Hill Race on Easter Saturday and a 4 × 5k road relay on Douglas Promenade on Easter Sunday. The event culminates with the prize presentation and a party on Easter Sunday Evening. |
IOM Sports Club Challenge | A series of sporting events aimed at club members, not elite players. The S.C.C.S now incorporates the student weekend and up to two other events (netball + squash). The number of sports may expand in the future. |
Isle of Man Marathon and half Marathon Races | The full marathon and half marathon road races – on a quiet, scenic and rural course – starting and finishing in Ramsey. |
NBC Basketball Camp | A week-long event providing basketball and life skills coaching for ages 10 to 19. |
Other events
Event | Notes |
---|---|
Isle of Man Queenie Festival | A celebration of the sea.[clarification needed] Usually held over 3 days in Port Erin and Port St Mary. |
Spring Darts Festival | The Isle of Man’s International Darts Festival is held annually. More than 800 competitors took part in last year’s[clarification needed] event. |
Manx Model Meet | Gathering of model aircraft flyers for a club event on Jurby airfield. |
Isle of Man Bridge Congress | A duplicate bridge competition which forms part of the English Bridge Union’s calendar of events. |
IOM Chess Tournament | An international chess event attracting top chess players from all over the world. Held annually in Port Erin from 1992 to 2007. It resumed in 2014 and since then has been held annually in Douglas. |
Isle of Man Festival of Pool – British Open | Would[clarification needed][Does this mean it never happened?] see pool players of all ages, male or female and from all parts of the UK and Ireland as well as players from France, Spain and other European countries attending the festival. |
Manx Model Boat Festival | |
IOM International Jazz Festival | |
Mananan International Festivals | An annual festival of music and arts founded in 1975, held in the Erin Arts Centre. The main festival is held in June and the opera festival in September. |
Braaid Eisteddfod | An annual musical and literary festival that has been held at the Braaid since the 1950s. |