THEY boogied and they shimmied through the chill of a summer night.
Thousands enjoyed the music of Detroit from the past half-century as The Magic of Motown came to Dewsbury’s Crow Nest Park.
It was another hugely successful event to kick off the Festival in The Park – the fourth organised by Kirklees Council.
And as delighted music fans and families drifted away from the park late on Saturday night, Kirklees Council promised next year would be bigger, better – and back in Huddersfield.
Council leader Mehboob Khan, who had introduced the stage show with the Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Andrew Palfreeman, said: “We’ll bring it back to Greenhead Park next summer.
“The restoration work in the park is on schedule and on budget and it’s going to look fantastic when it’s finished. It will be the perfect venue for an event like this.”
Saturday’s show attracted an audience estimated at more than 5,000, ranging from youngsters who enjoyed racing around on the grassy banks below the stage to older music fans, well able to remember the original Tamla Motown classics.
They enjoyed a stunning stage show honouring Tamla legends including The Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves, Smokey Robinson, Mary Wells and Stevie Wonder.
Perhaps the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for the late appearance of a tribute to The Jackson Five with some of their classic hits.
Linda Wilkinson, 38, of Ravensthorpe, was at the park with a group of friends and neighbours.
“It’s a wonderful night out,’’ she said. “The set-up is so well organised and everyone is in a partying mood.
“The music has been great and it’s been a good event”.
Alan Sykes was with wife Carol and their children Louise, 11, and Kieran, 9.
The family from Batley used the shuttle bus service from Dewsbury Railway Station to get to the event.
Alan said: “I think the council should be congratulated for organising something like this.
“The concert itself was brilliant, as were the fireworks at the end, but there were also other things for the kids to do in the park with the funfair.
“It’s about time we had free events like this.”
Police on duty throughout day enjoyed good-natured banter with the crowd and had no trouble to report.
Clr Palfreeman said: “It’s great that we can put on something like this.
“I know it comes at a time when the council, like many other organisations, is having to make cutbacks and I’m told the budget for this weekend has taken that into account.
“But you only need to look around to see what a feel-good factor it has brought today.
“Part of a council’s role is to bring communities together and I think we have managed that very successfully”.
The two-hour stage show – which earlier this year played London’s O2 Arena – finished with a spectacular 10-minute firework display.
