It all kicks off from 6pm on Port Erin Beach and promises to be a great evenings entertainment.

• Sure competitions: Apple Dash – Family Quiz Games, Sandcastle Competition, Spot the Difference Game with great prizes from Sure
• SLG demo of the new LG Optimus 3D phones. There will also be vouchers to redeem in the Sure Shop when purchasing LG Optimus 3D phones
• Prize draw to win LG 3D TV
• 3FM Family Fun area: Marquee and Giant Games: Connect4, Giant Jenga, Snake & Ladders – with great giveaways from Sure
• Beach volleyball by Castletown HC
• Beach cricket by Castletown CC
• Free runners by Will Sutton
• Taste of Sailing by 7th Wave (pre-booked £25 a session)
• Try Kayaking by 7th Wave (for hire @ £10/hour)
• Rockpooling by Manx Wildlife Trust
• Fine seafood cuisine by Paddy seafood Shack and Bushy’s Beach Bar
• Live Music by Stonechase, Mr Eliminator and the Deadly Vipers, DJ Chris Sterio

Admission: FREE

Are you passionate about seafood? Do you have a flair for experimenting and creating your own dishes? If so, then you could take top honours at a Masterchef-style cook-off at the 2011 Queenie Festival (1st – 3rd July).

The festival organisers, together with the Isle of Man Seafood Development Partnership, are running a competition to find the best recipe featuring Manx Queenies, and are now encouraging the Island’s hidden culinary genuises to come forward!

With their subtle taste and succulent texture, Queenies (Queen Scallops) are a strong favourite with discerning chefs and seafood lovers far and wide. What’s more, as Manx Queenies are sustainably sourced, they leave a good taste in the mouth ethically, too.

So, to help celebrate its success, the festival wants to know your winning ways with the small but mighty scallop. From amongst the entries received, two finalists will be chosen to go head to head in a live cook-off at 4pm on Sunday, the closing day of the festival.

The judging panel consists of the renowned UK chefs and food experts who, as the festival’s very special guests, will also be giving talks and demonstrations over the weekend: Simon Wadham and Richard Kirkwood, Head Chefs at London’s Rivington and J. Sheekey respectively, and food writer/broadcaster Henrietta Green. Alastair Hamilton, head of the Seafood Development Partnership, will also be on the panel.

The judges’ final decision will be followed by a prize presentation, when the victor will claim a personalised trophy and £100 worth of Paddy’s seafood.

Sounds tempting? Entry forms are downloadable from the festival website here; alternatively, you can pick one up from Paddy’s The Quay in Port St Mary or Paddy’s at the Victoria Road, Douglas Shoprite.

The competition is open to people of all ages and abilities – the only essential is enthusiasm! In your entry, you must include: the name of your dish, full details of your methods and ingredients, and a photo of the finished dish. The recipe should take no more than thirty minutes to prepare. The closing date for entries is 20th June, at 3pm, so get cracking!

Can you solve the riddle of the Golden Queenie?

Fans of fiendish puzzles, sharpen your wits: the 2011 is Golden Queenie Conundrum is about to launch!

The cryptic clues – the key to discovering the whereabouts of the precious Golden Queenie – are contained in the programme for the 2011 Queenie Festival, which is available in newsagents around the Island from Wednesday 8th June.

This is the third year that the highly popular treasure hunt, sponsored by Celtic Gold, has been staged in the run-up to the Festival, which this year takes place 1st – 3rd July.

The conundrum is a test not only of wits but of speed, as scores of determined treasure hunters will all be working simultaneously to crack the clues and race for the prize: a solid gold Queenie shell worth an estimated £5,000.

Last year, the Golden Queenie was claimed by the Thomson family of Douglas in record time so this time around, the clues have been given a twist to make the challenge the toughest yet!

Tim Croft, festival organiser, says, “Somewhere in a secret location, the Golden Queenie awaits the lucky winner of the hunt – but who will it be?

“Over the last few years, we’ve found that the conundrum really captures the public imagination and we’re hoping that this year, more people than ever will take up the challenge.

“As well as being in the programme, the clues will also be published in the local press and on the festival website from the following Monday (13th June)”.

“But to give yourself a head start, be sure to grab a programme as soon as you can. As well as the vital clues, it’s got the lowdown on this year’s festival, so you can start planning your weekend of fun and great food by the sea. Good luck – and happy hunting!”

The event, which is part of the village’s annual Queenie Festival (1st – 3rd July), will see hardy swimmers taking to the waves to complete a triangular lap of the bay in the fastest possible time.

Now in its third year, the Manx Mile attracts participants from all sporting backgrounds – from tri-athletes to recreational swimmers – and is open to all ages and abilities.

Manx Ocean Crewing snapped up the opportunity to sponsor this year’s challenge, whose official title is now the ‘Manx Ocean Swim’.

Manx Ocean Crewing, whose main focus is providing crewing management services to vessels operating worldwide, is a regular contributor to the Port St Mary Lifeboat and to other local charities. With its head office overlooking Chapel Bay, it couldn’t be much closer to the action!

For those unafraid to take the plunge, open water swimming offers a unique – often addictive! – experience, as well as a fresh challenge for anyone tired of doing lengths in the swimming pool. Participants in the Manx Ocean Swim, who must pre-register for the event, can choose to wear wetsuits or, if they dare, swimsuits or shorts.

The course is clearly marked with buoys and kayakers provide safety support from start to finish. There’s a half-mile event for junior or novice swimmers, and trophies to be claimed in all categories.

Russ Kent, Finance Director of Manx Ocean Crewing, said, “We are proud to support the Manx Ocean Swim. As an Isle of Man based company, we believe it is very important to put something back into the local community, and the mile swim – like the Queenie Festival itself – is an event which brings together everyone in that community.

“In recent years, we’ve seen a revival of interest in open water swimming, as evidenced by the massive success of the Great Swim Series, and it’s great to have our own event here on the Isle of Man. With entries coming from the UK as well as from within the Island, it looks set to become an enduringly popular event. We wish everyone taking part the very best of luck”.

Organising the Manx Ocean Swim is Mark Gorry from the Isle of Man Open Water Swimming Club. Mark says, “The maritime connection made Manx Ocean Crewing an obvious sponsorship choice, and we’re delighted that they have come on board. Their support will make all the difference to the success of event, now and in the future.”

Anyone wishing to practice for the Manx Ocean Swim can join the Club on Sunday mornings – simply come down to the Port Erin slipway (between the Raglan Pier and the Lifeboat station) at 10.30am.

For more information about the Manx Ocean Swim, including details of how to register, contact Mark Gorry on (07624) 430631 or email markgorry@hotmail.com.

For seafood lovers, the hottest upcoming ticket in town is the Seafood Extravaganza, a night of fine dining and music taking place during Port St Mary’s annual Queenie Festival (1st – 3rd July 2011).

On Saturday 2nd July, Port St Mary’s quayside will be transformed for the night by a grand marquee, where diners will be able to enjoy a delicious seafood buffet prepared by acclaimed chefs, followed by ska sounds from popular local band Bunch Skankers.

Toast of the night – and naturally featuring on the menu – will be the delicious Manx Queenie (Queen Scallop), newly-crowned with a coveted industry award.

Last week, the Manx Queenie fishery was awarded a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certificate in recognition of good management and sustainability. The accreditation, which follows a 21-month assessment, shows the Island’s commitment to protecting Queen Scallop stocks for the future.

Over the last few years, Queenies have become one of the Isle of Man’s best-known exports; prized for their subtle texture and flavour, they are now finding their way onto the menus of top restaurants.

In celebration of this, the Queenie Festival has invited a number of high profile chefs and food connoisseurs – including Simon Wadham, Head Chef at London’s Rivington, and ‘Taste the Nation’ star Henrietta Green – to give demonstrations in the quayside food theatre during the weekend.

But guests at the Seafood Extravaganza will enjoy a special chance to taste the fruits of their labour, along with those of popular local chefs, amongst the sumptuous fare on offer during the evening.

Guests will receive a complementary glass of champagne and a selection of delicate canapes upon arrival, followed by a fabulous seafood buffet, dessert and cheeseboard. Diners should have their dancing shoes on standby for the second half of the evening, when Buncha Skankers will take to the stage to perform a rousing set of non-stop ska and reggae classics. The dress code for the evening – black and white ‘smart casual’ – gives ska fans the opportunity to go ‘Two Tone’ for the night. A list of hand-picked wines will be available, and there will be a bar open throughout the night.

Tickets for the event, which runs from 7pm ’til midnight, are £30.00 per person. Seating will be on tables of ten, and corporate tables can easily be arranged.

Places are limited, however, and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so call Tim Croft on (07624) 495930 as soon as possible to claim your ticket to what will be a very special evening.

The certificate was presented at an industry dinner in Fishmongers’ Hall in central London and follows a 21-month assessment of Isle of Man-registered day boats using otter trawls instead of the traditional dredges.

Presenting the certificate, Claire Pescod, UK Fisheries Outreach Manager for the MSC, congratulated the Isle of Man fishermen on their certification.

“The certificate include a number of conditions on the fishery which will build on the good work already carried out in the run up to, and during the assessment by the fishermen, Isle of Man government and processors. I am looking forward to continuing to celebrate MSC certified queenies on the Isle of Man at the Queenie Festival. ”

Queen scallops are prized by more and more restaurants and a number of celebrity chefs are now using them in their cooking.

John Shimmin MHK, Minister for the Isle of Man Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture said, “MSC accreditation of the Isle of Man queenie fishery has only been possible as a result of the close working partnership between government, fishermen and processors.

“All three parties have worked hard over the last few years to improve the sustainability and quality of Isle of Man Queenies, which discerning consumers can now purchase with confidence.

“I hope in the coming months that we will be able to extend this partnership, and in time that the whole of the Irish Sea queenie stocks will be able to benefit from measures similar to those introduced in Manx waters. ”

Billy Caley, ex-skipper and owner of Isle of Man Seafood Ltd, added, “Fishermen and processors here on the Isle of Man have worked closely together to ensure that only the best quality queenies are landed, with the remainder of the stock being protected for the future.

“This award is recognition of this hard work and we look forward to supplying the first MSC certified queenies when the season re-opens on June 1st. “