THE finals of Southampton Festival of Music and Drama displayed the very best the city had to offer - a treat of arts enthusiasts.

Out of a total of 2,500 acts, only 13 were selected to perform at the special gala concert at the Turner Sims Concert Hall on March 24, 2000.

The finals of the festival, the 75th of its kind, proved to be a memorable occasion.

From the 13 performances, an orchestral and a drama entry were chosen to go forward to represent the city at the Millennium Festival of the Amateur Performing Arts in Leeds later that year.