The music festival that was only ever meant to be a 40th birthday party is back this year, and is all set to follow last year’s debut success.

The Dark Horse Music and Arts Festival is back for three days over July 7, 8 and 9, once again in the beautiful surrounds of Silly Moos Campsite (Ballakillingan Farm), just outside of Ramsey.

The event has its origins in a romantic gesture which ’quickly escalated’ according to organiser Barry Fearon.

’It was my wife’s birthday. She loves music and I thought it would be great to bring over one of her favourite bands for a party,’ explained Barry.

’Before we knew it, there was a whole team of keen volunteers involved and we found ourselves planning a three-day festival!’

The hope last year - as with this year - is to provide an immersive festival experience, with sitting around the campfire at night with friends just as important as the musical performances.

This year the Dark Horse team have opted to increase the number of available tickets for the 2017 event.

The main stage will see performances from islanders including Post War Stories and The Ballaghs, with an eclectic mix of UK festival acts making the trip over to play.

Top of the bill on Saturday is Manchester-based hip-hop collective The Mouse Outfit. With influences as broad as reggae, dancehall, jazz and drum ’* bass, the band are a full nine-piece onslaught of horn-heavy live energy.

In fact The Mouse Outfit have previously performed sold-out shows in the island (at Carnival in 2013).

All the way from Bristol for the Friday night are both BOMBS and Little Thief.

The former is a floor-filling five-piece rock and soul outfit, while Little Thief is a small but perfectly formed two-piece which burst on to the scene two years ago at Glastonbury and Bestival.

The Bristolians are joined on the Friday evening by part-Manx-part-Latvian electro band The Baltic States, familiar to the island after several visits, notably getting Bushy’s Beer Tent bouncing during this year’s Practice Week.

Accompanying The Mouse Outfit on Saturday night is inventive four-piece Dishy Tangent, a group that were invited to Dark Horse after a chance encounter with Barry in Camden.

He said he ’instantly fell for their energy and enthusiasm on stage’.

Elsewhere around the site there will be music, games, food, art and poetry at the Mother Ts tent, and The Mill tent will stage a full weekend of music from the likes of The Bad Noise, Dusty Plankton and The Rock Project.

This year’s festival will also feature demonstrations and workshops from wood carver Gavin Carter and the Isle Gallery’s Art Reach Studios initiative, aiming to get all hands on with creative art.

Elsewhere the New Social Studios tent hosts artists including Corkwing and Sandfingers, while the island’s up and coming talent will have the chance to shine at a stage ran by musical youth project SoundCheck.

The Hive Wellness Area will include yoga, massage and healing, and around the festival a range of artisanfood will be available.

The main stage will include a licensed bar where drinks are available and this year there will be a dedicated Mojito Bar provided by festival entrepreneurs Dazzling Mojitos. Elsewhere on the site people are able to bring their own food and drink.

The festival was staged for the first time last year, and saw 500 folk enjoy a sun-drenched weekend of music from island and UK performers including London DJ Guy Andrews and foot-stomping Scottish trio John Langan Band.

’The festival has come around again so quickly, and we look forward to welcoming friends old and new to Dark Horse 2017,’ said Barry.

’This year’s fancy dress theme is Wild West vs Deep Blue, hopefully people will enter into the spirit and be as creative as they were last year.

’We would also like to thank the Steam Packet Company for their continued support and sponsorship of the event, without it we wouldn’t be able to bring some of the bands over from the UK.’

Weekend camping tickets are £55 for adults and £20 for under 18s (booking fee applies). Children under 12 are free, and all under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. Donations are also welcome to this year’s chosen charity The Children’s Centre.

More information and tickets are available from www.darkhorsemusic.im