Getting up on stage for the Manx Music, Speech and Dance Festival can either cause your knees to shake or make you stand up tall.

This week, we asked people about their memories of the Guild, with this year’s festival. which is currently taking place.

Castletown resident Barbara Corkish said: ’I’ve done the Guild two or three times during primary school, as I was in the school choir. It was a good day out with your mates, and being able to see other school choirs.’

When asked if she considers the festival an important event today, she said: ’I do. It’s the tradition of it, with the Manx songs and at that age it’s probably the first big competition you do outside of school, apart from sport events.’

Alison Lodge, from Glen Vine, said: ’I’ve got two sons who have done it. The eldest competed in the spoken monologues, duologues, character studies... you name it!

’He was told in primary school that he needed a speech therapist, so I followed this through but took him to a drama teacher to make him think about how he speaks. Since then, he’s taken part in Les Miserables at the Gaiety Theatre and all sorts, I think the Guild had a big impact, as it’s very competitive.

’My youngest was a drummer in a Manx band. Every year he used to take part and also won a lot of prizes. He’s now working as a sound engineer for Dream Girls in the West End.’

Lauren Birchall, 22, from Douglas, said: ’I was in year eight (12 or 13 years) and my friend and I were going to sing on stage together,’ she said. ’I remember practising a lot for it, but I was really nervous and chickened out. She still did it and came in third place. I’m a bit gutted that I didn’t stick to it.’

Sarah Kennedy spoke about her son, Jacob, who took part in the festival this weekend.

’He was in the folk song [category] years four to eight and he sang "Home on the Range",’ she said. ’It’s his first Guild and I think he did brilliantly well! To stand up on stage on his own and do that, I wouldn’t do it. He’s been very good, he practises at school and at home as well.’

Jacob, aged nine, from Buchan school, added: ’Even when I didn’t want too.’

Keira Metcalfe, who competed in the same category, said: ’I think it’s my fifth year at the Guild. Sometimes I enter with my school and with the choir, but most of the time it’s by myself, either singing or acting.

’I do enjoy it, but I’m scared if I mess it up. Apart from that, I’m fine.’

Her mother, Karen Maddox, said: ’I think it’s a fantastic opportunity to get up and perform and to see all the talent up there. They’re so young and so brave to do it.’

Henry Davies, 28, from Port Erin, said: ’I was in the Guild in 2008. I was part of the school choir at Castle Rushen we were called "Happy Harmony", which as a Sixth Form male I found horrific, but actually looking back it was a good name for what we were doing.

’If you’re going to enter the Guild, I would say first up go in and enjoy it, try your hardest and be competitive.

’If you don’t do as well as you want, it’s a great learning experience, but just enjoy yourselves because that’s what it’s all about.’