The government is looking for sponsors for next year’s Food and Drink Festival.

The event, run by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, will take place at the Villa Marina Gardens in Douglas on September 15 and 16.

The 2017 festival, the ninth, attracting more than 8,500 visitors, who were enticed along by the biggest ever line-up of producers, caterers and attractions.

It generated more than £200,000 in immediate business for those who took part, as well as raising the profile of exhibitors with new customers.

’The Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival is the showpiece event of Food Matters, our strategy to grow the value of Isle of Man food and drink, a sector that is now worth more than £92 million to the economy,’ said Geoffrey Boot MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture.

’Visitors from on and - increasingly - off the island attend the festival 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 is among the biggest held in the island and in 2015 it won the PokerStars award for public sector achievement of the year at Isle of Man Newspapers’ Awards for Excellence.

’The 10th anniversary festival will be extra special and will be a great opportunity for sponsors to raise their profile and demonstrate their support for Manx produce and the island’s economy.’

Sponsorship packages range in price from £10,000 to £1,000.