Often lively, frequently risqué, sometimes controversial, occasionally political but always unfailingly entertaining, the Young Farmer’s weekend of concerts returns to the Gaiety Theatre next week.

The run of three nightly performances will begin on Thursday, March 9 and ends on Saturday, March 11.

Each year, the four groups of the Young Farmers organisation from the North, Eastern, Southern and Central, take part in the fiercely competitive performance competition, where each district puts together a 45 minute concert, packed with singing, dancing, acting and comedy sketches, which are performed on consecutive nights.

The shows are billed as ’a show-stopping, action-packed variety show, full of topical jokes, sketches and songs about local people, events and island life.’

They are judged throughout the weekend by three different sets of judges, with the declared winners, based on the total overall scores, awarded trophies on the Saturday night after the final lot of performances.

This year the judges will include Chief Minister Howard Quayle, Andy Bass, from Conister Bank, Beth Davies and Christy DeHaven, from Manx Radio’s ’Women Today’ programme and Christine Sutcliffe and Lisa Kreisky, from Stage Door Productions.

Last year, the Southern Young Farmers ran away with the top award, with their play called ’The Un-Electables’.

The club also took the award for the Best Individual Act in the concert for their comedy sketch ’The Scarecrow and the Crowe’.

Other prizes up for grabs are for Best Overall Show, Best Club, Best Performer, Best Junior Performer and Best Dance Act.

Each year, the concerts raise money for a nominated charity, through retiring bucket collections and also through programme sales, and this year the money will be donated to Bowel Cancer IOM. They will also be running the ’lucky programme’ competition, where the winners will receive two free tickets to next year’s show.

The weekend of concerts is a major part in the Young Farmers year, and the chairman of the Young Farmers Federation, Ffin Creer, said he always finds it amazing that the Young farmers are able to put on shows in a short space of time.

’Being the biggest event on the Young Farmers calendar it’s an exciting time of year,’ said Ffin.

’Each club is competing to win first prize, and we are looking forward to seeing what each club is going to come up with this year. The first time we see each other’s shows is on the opening night.

’It’s wonderful that so many of our members have the opportunity to perform on the iconic Gaiety stage for three nights in front of a packed audience.’ Demand for tickets is always high, and the shows have been sold out for a month, with some queuing the night before tickets go on sale to ensure their seats.