Welcome to the official home page of the Manx Music Festival (The Manx Competitive Music, Speech and Dance Festival to give it its full name) or “The Guild” as it is affectionately known on the Island.
2024 saw another successful festival and we are now working hard on the details for our 2025 festival!
Dates for next year:
Saturday 26th April to 3rd May 2025 inclusive
The 2025 syllabus is available in hard copy from various outlets across the island and is also available as a pdf on the Syllabus tab on this website.
Online entries are available at Run My Festival - use the link below to access this:
Manx Music Festival Online Entries
Online entries will close at midnight on the 1st February 2025 and there are no late entries! If you prefer to enter using a paper entry form these can be found in our paper syllabus. Paper entry forms MUST be delivered to the Entries' Secretary by midnight on the 1st February 2025. There will be a box available for entries to be left in outside the Entries' Secretary's front door. Once the box has been taken indoors no more paper entries will be accepted!
If you are entering online or entering via a paper you must also submit hard copies of sheet music for own choice classes (if you are using the official accompanist) and scripts for any own choice speech classes by the entry closing date of the 1st February 2025.
If you are using a backing track for classes that allow this, these must be with the Entries' Secretary by the 31st March 2025 at the latest either via a USB stick or using WeTransfer (details for WeTransfer can be found in the syllabus). Any entry that is missing a backing track after the 31st March 2025 will be disallowed.
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We're always looking for people to join us as volunteers to help us with the Festival. If you would like to come and help and become part of our great team do get in touch with the Festival Secretary, Sandra Loach by emailing manxguild@gmail.com
The Isle of Man has very strong musical traditions and since 1892, when it was formed, The Guild through its competitive nature, has provided motivation to improve, initially for choirs, followed by solo singing and later to a wide range of music, spoken word and dance. The climax of the Festival occurs with the competition for the Cleveland, Ohio (USA) Manx Society’s Gold Medal, donated annually by this organisation and competed for by the three highest marked ladies and three highest marked men from across the special solo classes held during the week.
The Festival is a member of the British and International Federation of Festivals.
The Festival is held annually in April at the Villa Marina on Douglas promenade. To see the range and size of competitions check out our results section.