Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer

Tina Newman (right) chats with caterer Lorraine Fung.

Minister of Security Trevor McMillan (left) and Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda have a laugh while at Harold Brady's birthday party in Cherry Gardens on Friday, August 1.

Harold Brady (left) meets with two of his guests, the new CEO of the Sugar Company of Jamaica, Joao Reis (right), and Wilfred Baghallo.

Now, y'all know you have a good thing going when socialites, powerbrokers and political leaders postpone their weekend out-of-town excursions until after your party. Especially if your party falls on the very first day of the much-anticipated long weekend!

Such was the case on August 1, when socialite and lawyer Harold Brady was born, and thus celebrated each year with the gusto and chutzpah known only to those of great style!

On the style-o-meter, this was a style-perfect event! Dovecakes, long before the invitations to the birthday celebrations hit the streets, discreet inquiries were being made if the expected annual event was on. Those in the know are aware that Harold Brady does not know how to throw a bad party, as he is a true master of the dying art of entertaining on the truly grand scale!

Dance favourites

Well, it rained cats and dogs most of the morning and way into the afternoon, but it was clear from the very get-go that, come rain or shine, hell or high water, the party would go on! There were no stuffed shirts or hoity-toity attitudes here; just a gathering of the fab at ease and play. With the stage clearly set for guests to have a good time, they needed no prompting, except some absolutely fab music being spun by Richard Clarke.

Dance favourites through the decades had guests on the dance floor from mid-afternoon way into the night. And with libations flowing like the Rio Cobre in spate; lunch available upon arrival, with dinner served around 7 p.m. (the fab Lorraine Fung doing the honours), y'all know we are talking the real McCoy here! Luvs, it was easily the party of the season, and flawlessly so!

Among the notables were family members including: brothers Walter Brady, who flew in from Florida for the event, and Dr Rupert Brady, his son Dr Robert Brady and wife Yasmin; his siblings Rupert Brady and wife Kerry-Ann, Vincent Brady, who shares birthday with his uncle Harold; sisters Gloria Brady Young, who flew in from Baltimore, Jackie Brady, Claudette Brady, who flew in from Florida, and Kay Brady Brown and husband Dr Paul Brown, Dr Pierre-John Holmes and wife Dr Anissa Holmes; Camile Brady and Gianni Brady.

Also out were: Finance Minister Audley Shaw and his companion Susan Duhaney; Security Minister Senator Col Trevor MacMillan and his wife Dr Olivia McDonald; Attorney General and Minister of Justice Senator Dorothy Lightbourne and her sibling Michelle Johnson and her daughter Shelena Williams; Health Minster Ruddy Spencer; Senator Tom Tavares-Finson and wife Rose; Justice Ingrid Mangatal; Judge Carol Beswick and husband Paul; Director of Public Prosecutions, the charming Paula Llewellyn; Solicitor General Douglas Leys; UTech's head, Professor Errol Morrison and wife Dr Fay Whitbourne; Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda; Honorary Consul of Ecuador Clelia Barreto de Hunter; security mogul Kenny Benjamin; premier socialite Jennifer Lim; Pulse CEO Kingsley Cooper; Paymaster's Audrey Marks Dunstan; Milton Brady; Minna Israel squired by Claude Fletcher; Hillary Phillips QC; MiPhone's Alejandro Guiterrez; Ronnie Coke and wife Ethlyn; Rae Barrett; Mutual Life Gallery's Gilou Bauer.

We also saw: Air Jamaica's Paul Pennicook; Rupert Bent and wife Cindy Breakspeare; Dr Douglas and Hyacinth McDonald; Steve and Betty Ashley; Oliver Magnus; the lovely Kathy-Ann Pike; Dwight and Sharon Moore; Cliff Hughes; Winston and Barbara Barrett; Rajiv Bakshi and companion Dorothea Gordon-Smith and her daughters Taquise and Luciana; Freddy Dumetz and wife Sonja Sutherland Dumetz; Joyce Young; Colin and Tina Newman; Prudence Kidd-Deans; Franklyn and Lorna O'Neill; Faye Hutchinson; Dr Gavin Gunter; Maurice Small and wife Judge (Ret) Nerrine Small; Joan Gordon-Webley; Lawson Levy and Debra Ewbanks; European Union official Alex Dropinski and his fiancé Dr Saphire Longmore; Margret Grant; Douglas and Nadine Thompson; Lance Clarke; the beautiful Frances Ross; Stephen Robertson; Seyon Hanson and the lovely Danielle Archer; siblings Robert and Stuart Haughton; Bruce Rattary; the leggy Josephine McGann; Shelly-Ann Daley, and several scores more!

Betty Ashley and her hubby Steve boogie down big time.

Robert Brady dances with his pride and joy, daughter Jianni, at her uncle Harold Brady's birthday party.