The street revelry commences with the pounding of drums. Rhythmic and incessant, it can persuade even the most unwilling feet to stomp to the beat.

Soon, the town’s main street is choked with dancers dressed in a dizzying array of hues, head gear in arresting shapes, and beads and bangles drooping and dangling as if on cue.

Cries sometimes punctuate the air and resonate throughout Poblacion. Even with the unforgiving heat of the afternoon sun, each group’s number does not wane in its feverish tempo.

It is impossible for spectators to remain passive with number upon number presented in raucous tribute. Sooner or later, bystanders fall in step with the moves of the moment, if only with their bopping heads or rhythmic hearts.

Alas, the rising of emotions to a crescendo eventually reaches a plateau, then the pitch descends to where it all began: hushed silence. But this time around, it is a kind of silence that is inevitable in the afterglow of something big and wondrous and marvelous. After everyone is done, the panel of judges composed of Jonas Dizon, Jeffrey Bachar, and Raymund Aquino declare the winners in the Street-Dancing Competition of April 1.

Tracing the history of Bayambang from its botanical origin down to its present sobriquet, Balon Bayambang, champion Tococ National High School simply wowed the crowd with a Broadway-level of production. The unbelievable spectacle, bordering on the surreal, received P100,000 cash plus trophy.

The 1st runner-up was St. Vincent Catholic School’s presentation, which received P75,000 cash plus trophy, while the 2nd runner-up was Moises Rebamontan National High School, which was awarded P50,000 cash plus trophy.