Beatlemania hit Bermuda at the weekend with a dress-up dinner party to celebrate all things pop music from the 1960s, 70s and even a few tunes thrown in from the 1980s.

Many of those who showed up were dressed in era-defining fashions (criminal or otherwise) that were once all the craze.

As they danced the night away to the sounds of a Beatles-dressed combo in the Fairmont Southampton Hotel amphitheatre the 250-plus guests helped raise tens of thousands for dollars for The Family Centre.

Politicians, company executives and others mingled, danced and boogied to a repertoire of songs that stretched from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones onwards to The Clash and others.

Billed as 'The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour,' the Kennel Boys Beatles Show kicked off with a selection of hits by the Fab Four before moving on to other musical moments from 'British Invasion' groups of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

The tunes sounded remarkably authentic and were powerfully delivered, although it was slightly freaky to see 'The Beatles' singing Stones' hits and even The Clash's semi-punk rock 'Should I Stay or Should I Go.'

All around the amphitheatre were people wearing flower-power hippy patterned clothes, mini skirts and hot pants, with outrageous hairstyles from overblown perms to mini-beehives, or walking around carrying Union Jack handbags.

The feel-good night promoted many to enter sizable bids in a silent auction for items ranging from a private plane trip, to a luxury stay at Cambridge Beaches, sport event tickets, paintings, replica Beatles' silver discs and a towering painting of John Lennon.

The private plane trip for up to six people proved the biggest single money spinner as it attracted a bid of $22,000. Organisers were still busy working out the total raised by the event as went to press.

The Family Centre marketing and events manager Elizabeth Ward said: "People were extremely generous and we are still collecting and counting the donations. We sold 257 tickets."

David Fitzsimmons, manager of The Kennel Boys band brought the four-piece along as the main entertainment for the night and scored a big hit with those attending. While Barry Fitzsimmons and Great Sound supplied the lightening effects and sound system production.

Throughout the night a group of senior girls from Bermuda High paraded around the amphitheatre holding 60s-style protest banners advertising the goodies on offer in the silent auction.

Sponsors for the evening were Island Construction, The Fairmont Southampton, Butterfield Bank, LOM, BF&M, Flagstone Re, Renaissance Re, MarketPlace and HWP Group.