The Department of Tourism and Leisure has developed plans to utilise the Villa Marina Gardens for a week long entertainment line up.

The Villa Marina Gardens activities will be a new highlight of a packed TT festival fortnight which will include air displays, fireworks, beach races, motorcycle club meetings as well as the world’s best high octane road racing.

The Villa Marina Gardens venue will be adapted to accommodate fans who will be treated to a week of music and bike related activity. There are plans to host the ever popular chat shows with past and present riders as well as opening up the area to race prize presentations. The venue will also host at least two high profile bands, which will be confirmed soon when touring schedules are finalised.

The ever-popular Red Arrows Display Team is set to return in 2009 subject to final confirmation. It is hoped the Battle of Britain display will also appear at 7pm on Friday 12th June in Douglas.

The Department of Tourism and Leisure will also be supporting events including the Ramsey Sprint, TT Days at Peel and Port Erin on 7th and 8th June, as well as the Laxey Motorcycle Show staged by the Moddey Dhoo Motorcycle Club. A Douglas Beach Race, in the hands of Peveril MCC, is also on the itinerary. No TT would be complete without a fireworks display and this year’s - which will be ship-based from Douglas Bay, is scheduled for June 10th at 11pm.

Following a review of TT 2008, the evening street entertainment in the vicinity of Bushys on Loch Promenade will not be receiving department financial support this year. Although it has brought a lot of enjoyment in the past the format has been repeated for a number of years, so it has been decided to introduce some new outdoor music and TT events at the Villa Marina Gardens for 2009.

The funfair is a welcome attraction for local residents but has not proved as popular among visiting race fans. Therefore, it has been decided to invite Isle of Man Funfairs at a more appropriate slot during the Isle of Man school summer holidays.

One of the most eagerly anticipated events during TT 2009 will be the world’s first clean emissions motorsport event, the TTXGP. The race will take place at 10.45 am on Senior Race day, Friday 12th June, and will feature teams from around the world in a showcase of environmentally-friendly motorcycles. The Villa Marina Royal Hall will also host a classical music ‘Motorsport In Symphony’ on Thursday 11th June in celebration of the TTXGP race.

The Hon Martyn Quayle, MHK, Minister for Tourism and Leisure, commented:

‘Excitement is already building ahead of TT 2009. I am sure that the new events this year, combined with some winning themes from previous TT’s, mean that race fans will be able to enjoy an entertainment package that will complement first-class road racing.’