SAN ANTONIO – The 78th annual Battle of Flowers Band Festival delivered an exciting show for Fiesta goers Thursday night.
Students from 35 high schools in and around San Antonio showcased their talents for a packed house at Alamo Stadium.
The event was one of the highlights of Mikayla Johnson's freshman year of high school.
"It was a rush," Johnson said. "I was so nervous and then we got up there and it was done.
The marching band students aren't the only ones who look forward to the event.
"The first year she did it, her freshman year, they won first place and crowd favorite so we're hoping to do something equal this year," John Jay High School parent Donna Patino said.
However, some of the spectators have no relation to any of the students.
"It's all pure heart and fun and they really, really enjoy it," Patrick Lopez said.
This year's band festival is the first one Johnson, a John F. Kennedy High School student, performed in but she said her bandmates feel like family to her.
About 5,100 students participated in the band festival this year. The three featured bands were Sam Houston High School, Thomas Jefferson High School and John Paul Stevens High School.
Here are the 2016 winners, according to a news release:
- First Place 4A division: Navarro High School
- Second Place 4A division: Antonian College Preparatory
- First Place 5A division: Burbank High School
- Second Place 5A division: McCollum High School
- First Place 6A division: O’Connor High School
- Second Place 6A division: Clark High School
The 2016 Spirit Award presented to the color guard or flag unit that demonstrated outstanding preparation, attitude, conduct and cooperation at this year's rehearsals went to Antonian College Preparatory.
People's Choice Award went to the band that executed the most "crowd pleasing” performance during the “Parade of Bands" and this year's went to Southwest High School.