Spanish Festival Royal Weekend

October 5 & 6, 2018

Cyr-Gates Community Center — New Iberia

The voice of Spanish heritage, James “Jim” Viator was selected 2018 Spanish King III by the luck of the draw Friday night during the fall celebration of La Asociación Española de Nueva Iberia Spanish Festival. The royalty will reign next spring at the annual Spanish Festival slated for April 26-28, 2019.

Viator narrated the historical video about the Spanish legacy in New Iberia. Viator is a native of New Iberia and holds degrees in Foreign Languages and History. He is an entrepreneur and contractor. He has spent decades promoting the Acadian and Spanish heritage of South Louisiana. The King’s Ball and Children’s & Queen’s Pageants were held at Cyr-Gates Community Center in New Iberia’s City Park.

Miss Spanish Festival Queen IV Katelyn Ashlee Ray, the 21-year-old daughter of Kristi Mistretta and Ernie Ray, was born and raised in New Iberia, a 2015 graduate of New Iberia Senior High. She works full time as a title clerk at Moss Motors while doing hair and make up on the side.

New Iberia Senior High School Spanish students, Jamie Champeaux, Harley Rivers, Kelsi Benoit and Tommy Ainsworth, volunteered at the King’s Ball under the direction of their teacher, Ines Suit.