Philly Soul on a Summer Night in Brookdale Park

Brookedale Park hosted one of its free summer concerts on Thursday with Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes to give residents a night “to just get outside the city and still be in the city with all walks of life,” said Newark resident, Chiffon Jones, 41.

Hundreds of locals sat on blankets, chairs or just settled for the grass in the park with coolers packed with dinner and drinks. Some prepared locals even had collapsible tables, as they enjoyed the soulful music of Philadelphia with a refreshing breeze after the sun went down.

“I’m a Philly girl, so this is right up my alley,” said Jackie Brown, East Orange, as she knitted next to her husband, Lonnie, and his cousin, Garry Henderson, 62, of Montclair. “You get to get out, see some old friends and some new people you would never commune with while lightning to good music. You bring some food and drinks and it makes a good night.”

Judy and Michael Lovrich drove all the way from Milstone, Monmouth County, to spend the night with Little Falls locals Karen and Donald Worster.

“We came her last year and Karen mentioned in passing that Harold Mevlin’s and the Blue Notes were playing and we had to come up,” exclaimed Judy Lovrich.

“These are class acts bands and for free,” explained Karen Worster. “We’ve been to all of them and we bring our picnic with us.”

Henderson who annually visits these events said, “when they put on these free concerts they do a wonderful job. There’s people from all walks of life, I have never seen any trouble and that’s good.”

Lonnie Brandon, who ran the parks and recreation in Montclair for 31 years, just wanted “to get out and utilize the parks.”

But it was summed up best by Donald Worster in saying, “good entertainment, nice park, and nice night.”