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Bambanense New Year's Ball
1949-1950

With special thanks to our uncle, Eduardo S. Dayrit for sending this photo.

First Row (L to R): Conrado Miranda, Amado Lumboy, Consuelo Solis, Beatriz Figueroa, Carmelita Megia, Nora Tiglao, Catalino Manipon.
Second Row ( L to R): Pablo Santos, Jr., Eduardo S. Dayrit, Meming Santos and Ricardo Tuazon.

Taken at the Jesus Feliciano Tennis Court and Garden on December 31, 1949. Every year, since 1925, the young people of Bamban greeted the coming New Year with a grand formal ball. Most of them are high school and college students from Manila and the provinces.

Every New Year's celebration, a set of officers are elected to take charge of the coming year's grand ball. They perform a stately dance, "Rigodon de Honor." At exactly 12 midnight, the church bells are rung and the town folks eat their media noche. Thousands of firecrackers are lighted on the ground and high up in the air.

Bambanense dancers march and dance around the tennis court while the orchestra plays "Auld Lang Syne." After the march, the orchestra plays melody after melody of romantic songs. At 3 a.m. the dancers go home or attend the first mass in church.