A New Iberia Spanish Festival king said his goodbyes and a new king was inaugurated Saturday at “El Baile del Rey” or King’s Ball held at Cyr-Gates Community Center.

Donald Segura was crowned as the new Spanish King at the event, and was handed the crown by outgoing Spanish King Matt Lopez.

“I’m honored to be able to present the crown to the new king,” Lopez said. “He was present for New Iberia’s twinning with Alhaurin de la Torre. I like to think I’ve done such a good job of making it look cool that he finally said yes.”

Segura has been a longtime supporter of the New Iberia Spanish Festival, and can track his ancestry back to the founding Spanish families of New Iberia. As a sugar cane farmer, his first visit to Malaga, Spain immediately established a connection after seeing the sugar cane fields upon entering town. Segura has returned to Spain several times, and he and his wife were instrumental in establishing the paella cookoff for the New Iberia Spanish Festival.

The King’s Ball also included a large number of visiting royalty at Cyr-Gates Community Center. Pageant winners from all across the area took part in the event as a leadup to the coronation of the new Spanish king.