By Sea
The Steam Packet operate services between the Isle of Man and Liverpool and Heysham Ports on a daily basis, as well as Belfast and Dublin. Schedules have now been released and sailings are available from £18 each way. Visit www.steam-packet.com/timetables for more information.
By Air
Flights operate into Ronaldsway Airport, near Castletown in the Isle of Man. Onward travel is available by taxi (approximately £20 into Douglas) from the rank outside the airport, or by bus (approximately every 20 minutes during the daytime).
Flights to the Isle of Man are available from many airports around the UK, with LoganAir and EasyJet serving the Isle of Man.
The latest details are available at the Isle of Man Airport website: https://www.airport.im/arrivals-departures/routes-and-airlines/
I attended the last two beer festivals and found them most enjoyable including musical entertainment, however given the problems with the ferry and the uncertainty generated over return journey timing I’ve reluctantly concluded I can’t attend this year. While the Steam Packet sailings webpage indicates no cancellations from Heysham to Douglas there is ongoing disruption to the return leg via Liverpool which presumably may be affecting also the return via Heysham. The Steam Packet indicated their vessel on the Liverpool run sustained material damage as a result of sea debris over which circumstance they have no control except that they are attempting to repair the damage as expeditiously as possible.
If the festival organisers find attendance is depleted on account of this I suggest considering the possibility of a range of satellite pub-based mini-beer fests after TT has ended in order to showcase in particular the full range of IoM brews, since these are virtually never seen in the south of England, and also those ‘foreign’ brews which have proven most popular at the main event.