Grab your oversized t-shirts, white trainers and something for the inevitable British rain – we’re going to parties. Not just any parties, but probably some of the best we’ve ever had.
In 1993, the bosses of Birmingham radio station BRMB staged a one-off festival in Centenary Square. About 23,000 people showed up to enjoy the sunshine and the greatest hits of the early 90s.
Police thought it was a bit too much chaos to hold a rehearsal – it all came to a halt as people climbed to the tops of buildings and lampposts to get a good view of the stage. So what’s an enterprising radio station to do?
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Easy – Party In The Square became Party In The Park. From Cofton to Cannon Hill and then Alexander Stadium to St. Andrew’s, the Brummies enjoyed top-notch musical entertainment for a decade beginning in 1995.
There was something for all ages and all kinds of people, every year. The crowds were huge as a result – see how some of them fell in the gallery below.
It had never been easier to see a list of top pop artists in one place in Brum. The 2002 party, held at St. Andrew’s, had everything from A1 to Westlife – it was the boy and girl band era, and everyone was invited.
It is also part of the history of music. The Spice Girls performed their first-ever outdoor concert in Cofton Park under the smiling yellow sun of the BRMB logo, just as they were breaking through the charts.
It rained a little on that August bank holiday Monday in 1996, but no one cared that much. The headliners were listed alongside East 17, Peter Andre, Eternal and Ocean Color Scene, to name a few.
Brum has not seen such scenes for a long time. But without a doubt, there are thousands and thousands of fond memories of Parties In The Park stuck in heads, on film and in old digital cameras.
Have you been there before? What year was your favorite? Comment below and join our nostalgia group on Facebook.
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