2,000 enjoy a party in the park

WET but wonderful: rain couldn't dampen the spirits of partygoers

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NEARLY two thousand people turned out to enjoy music, fireworks and fun in what is fast becoming one of the highlights of the year in Delph.

Party in the Park, held on Saturday at Delph and Dobcross Cricket Ground, was a fantastic opportunity for families to get together and enjoy a fabulous six fun-filled hours, while helping to raise in the region of £15,000 to plough back into Delph.

Young and old poured on to the field carrying chairs, picnics and wine to settle down to an afternoon and evening of entertainment, culminating in a spectacular firework display.

Compere Gilbert Symes told them they were in for a fantastic day, and true to his word, it began with the popular Delph Band, which set the scene for delights to come.

Acclaimed local tenor, Victor Michael was next to take the limelight, blasting out a mix of traditional opera and show-stopping tunes — eagerly taking on the magnificent Nessun Dorma which brought raptures of applause from an enthusiastic crowd.

The former Hulme Grammar School and Norman House Primary School pupil travels extensively with his act, but still loves to return to his roots.

The American Motown Show, flown in from Detroit, soon got people on their feet, dancing along to old favourites, and Planet Abba, the UK’s leading Abba tribute show, got revellers out of their chairs, singing and dancing, with more than an hour of hits from the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Rain stayed away for the biggest part of the event, now in its fifth year, and yet another sell-out.

Organised by the Wake up Delph committee, originally to fund Christmas lights in the village, Party in the Park has turned into such a success it not only pays for Christmas trees, lights and other festive decorations, but also floral displays in the main village street in the summer.

“We are proud of our village and believe our efforts are appreciated by residents and businesses,” said committee chairman Pam Preston.

Committee member Phil Beckwith added: “It has been another huge success. We will make around £15,000.

“We would like to say a massive thank-you to all our sponsors, and more importantly to the people of Delph and the surrounding areas who supported us. It’s a village thing and we have a lot of great helpers who come from the village. In Delph we don’t talk about it — we do it.”

Reveller Julia Holt, from Uppermill, enjoyed the experience, saying: “It’s fantastic. It’s the third year I have been, and I like it because it represents the last bit of summer.”

The success of the event means Delph can look forward to a Christmas lights display which will do it proud, with the date for the switch-on already set for Saturday, December 4.