As an avid lover of music and dancing until my feet ache, there was only one place I could imagine being on Saturday, November 1 - The Laxey Glen - for the one-day music festival Into the Glen.

This unique event brought together various island communities to create a celebration that intertwined wellness, Hop Tu Naa, and a shared love for Manx nature, all set deep within the enchanting Laxey woods.

When I first heard about the festival, I was immediately intrigued by the location.

I’d never known a one-day festival to be held at The Laxey Glen before, and that alone made it stand out as something truly special.

I decided to attend dressed as Strawberry Shortcake - the red-haired, strawberry-themed cartoon character from the 1980s - a costume I thought would be instantly recognisable among fellow ravers.

Unfortunately, that turned out to be my only disappointment of the day - not a single person (apart from those I’d already told) guessed who I was! Instead, I got several confident guesses of ‘Little Red Riding Hood.’

I suppose that means I wasted nearly £20 on strawberry accessories that went completely unappreciated!

The event itself was a joint effort between Edward Bunce, owner of The Laxey Glen business, Anima DJ duo Ben and Ammon Yeardsley, Yoga with Leanne (Caine) and Mikey Howland from Riversea Sauna. Together, they put together a vibrant programme offering something for everyone - from morning wellness sessions to evening DJ sets - all framed by the natural beauty of the glen.

The diverse schedule attracted a wonderfully mixed crowd.

Whether you were tee-total, a yoga fanatic, or simply in the mood for a party where you could freely express yourself, The Laxey Glen was the perfect place to be.

I caught up with Yoga by Leanne, who hosted the ‘Witchy’ segment to open the day.

She explained, ‘I had this vision of having a pocket of wellness under this Tippee. We [had an] opening ceremony where we utilized the cosmic energy of the half-moon and Halloween. We had this really witchy ritual.’

Alongside her was Mikey Howland, owner of Riversea Sauna, who described the experience as ‘Magical.’

‘We've got a beautiful Glen with beautiful trees, and this time of year, the leaves are turning orange, and now we've got two stages. It's beautiful. We've got the pavilion stage, which is indoors, where the live bands are playing. DJs are down the teepee.’

In my opinion, the event was perfectly organised. Having the live bands inside the pavilion made complete sense given the unpredictable Manx weather, while the teepee stage created a cosy, communal space as the night drew in. As darkness fell, festival-goers flocked downhill, dancing together under twinkling lights and autumn leaves.

Ammon, part of DJ duo Anima, summed up the spirit of the festival beautifully: ‘I think it's important for everybody to have some sense of community. What’s better than to get a bunch of people to have a dance and meet people that they might not meet before. To just experience different types of music and different wellness side of things, and maybe things that might be outside of their comfort zone.’

Into the Glen wasn’t just a festival - it was a celebration of connection, creativity, and community at the heart of the Isle of Man.