User:Cyrus Sumner

Cyrus Sumner aka Cal Sumner THE FIESTA HAT KING of the Fiesta Hat Social Club of San Antonio, Texas

The Fiesta Hat King is from the Fiesta Hat Social Club of San Antonio, Texas and was elected April 01, 1995 to be featured at Fiesta San Antonio spacifically at the King William Home Owners Association Parade and Fair.

History: Fiesta originated in 1891 when prominent ladies of San Antonio, Texas desided to honor the heroes of the Alamo, and San Jacinto with a parade. They decorated carrages, and bicycles with fresh flowers and paraded around the Alamo pelting one another with the flowers. Thus creating the first "Battle of Flowers Parade". Fiesta has grown from this one event into an epic ten day festival with the trappings of Cavalier England i.e., kings, queens, crowns, and jesters. Fiesta has a pronounced Mexicano flavor as it should, but organizations representing all cultual influences throughout Texas are previolent.The parades remain the focus of Fiesta with a river parade where the floats float, a Battle of Flowers Parade" continuing the traditions of early Fiesta, and a "Flambeau Parade" focusing on the Mexican community. There are nine official and three "unoffical" royals. The various monarchs represent the various components of the San Antonio community. In the 1900s they had a humorious flavor. Some kings were called Rex, Salamat (Tamales spelled backwards), Omala (Alamo spelled backwards) setting a fun and humorious theme. Later on a more serious tone would overtake Fiesta until the "unofficial" royals arrived. 1998 the Executive Board of the Fiesta Commission decided to allow three "unofficial" royals into the fray. Their status is reflected in a 1980 decision to close the monarchy due to a fear of prolifferation. King Anchovy monarch at Cornyation a fund raiser for the San Antonio Little Theater presented at NIOSA 1951. The Fiesta Hat King from the Fiesta Hat Social Club a booster organization for Half-Price Books, and their cheritable endevers the largest book drive in America for Childerns Hospitals. Last but certainly not the least the Queen of the Pinatas a full court of royals representing the seniors of the Barrio from the Guadalupe Culteral Arts Center. These royals signaled the returning to Fiesta of comical Fiesta royals more in line with the originals.