Donate
Sponsor
Donate
Sponsor

Legend of Rey Feo

The story of El Rey Feo goes back to the days of medieval Spain. During this time, the King of Spain had distanced himself from his subjects and excluded them from his court; instead, he surrounded himself and his court with the wealthy, attractive aristocrats. Ordinary citizens soon resented the King for banning them from the court and for never appearing in public except for when he would go hunting. One day as an act of rebellion, the people gathered in the plaza and proclaimed one of their own as “The Ugly King” or The People’s King.

TODAY

Today in San Antonio, Rey Feo has been awarded “official royalty” status by the San Antonio Fiesta Commission, along with the Reina de la Feria de las Flores Queen, who is Rey Feo’s official queen and fellow scholarship fundraiser. As official royalty, Rey Feo participates in all aspects of the annual Fiesta San Antonio 10-day celebration to commemorate the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. Rey Feo, his court and queen will ride in the Fiesta parades and be treated like royalty, but Rey Feo still remains popular as “The People’s King”.

The Rey Feo Scholarship Foundation, a Texas Non-Profit Corporation and 501(c)(3) charitable foundation (“RFSF”) provides deserving local high school students a $2,000.00 annual scholarship ($1,000.00 each per fall and spring semester) to attend the college, university or trade school of their choice. The scholarship is renewable each semester over four years that the recipient maintains a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and takes at least 12 semester credit hours. An additional $1,000.00 may also be awarded to outstanding students for the semester following their obtaining a 4.0 grade point average with at least 15 semester credit hours.

The RFSF mission is to provide scholarships to help students achieve higher education regardless of race, color, religion, or gender; and to bring awareness of the accessibility of higher education to students in the San Antonio, Texas area.

The Rey Feo scholarship program is iconic having been established in 1947. Since its inception, over $8 million has been raised for scholarships awarded to over 7,000 students. The fall 2019 semester was a record mark for the RFSF with 200 scholarships awarded. The fall 2020 semester saw a record 863 applicants, but only 102 scholarships awarded, 85 to renewal applicants, due to the onset of the pandemic and the uncertainly of events fundraising.

Despite the ongoing pandemic and no events fundraising for 2020-2021, the Rey Feo scholarship program has persevered. For the fall 2021 semester, 83 scholarships were awarded, 76 to renewal applicants. 8 recipients received a $1,000.00 bonus from a 4.0 grade point average and at least 15 semester credit hours in the spring 2021 semester.

The RFSF has mostly sustained its renewal applicants since the fall 2020 semester. As of today, Rey Feo 74/75 have raised a total of $500,074.75 to replenish the Rey Feo scholarship fund so it is possible to not just return to its scholarship levels as seen in the fall 2019 semester but grow stronger so more deserving high school students can achieve their dream of attending college. Your donation to the Rey Feo Scholarship Foundation mission is valued and appreciated.

During his reign, Rey Feo visits more than 60 elementary schools to encourage thousands of young people to stay in school, respect their teachers & parents, be good citizens, and pursue a higher education. He is considered a goodwill ambassador for the city throughout the year.

Today the program is becoming known as an “Economic Development Enhancement Program” for Bexar County and the City of San Antonio based on the positive community impact of hundreds of students receiving a college degree. Students chosen to receive a Rey Feo scholarship value the skills received from their education and often return to San Antonio to volunteer, mentor other youth, and practice their profession to the benefit of the community.

Evolution

This celebration of the populace traveled to the New World, and it was in Aguas Calientes, Mexico during La Feria de San Marcos (The Festival of St. Mark) when the first Rey Feo ruled in North America. Later, in 1947, members of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council No. 2 in San Antonio, Texas were looking for a way to raise money to provide scholarships for underprivileged and deserving San Antonio youth. With their knowledge of La Feria de San Marcos, the LULAC members decided that sponsoring a Rey Feo competition of their own would not only be fun, but charitable as well. Later, through the efforts of Logan Stewart, Rey Feo XXXII, a local prominent radio personality, El Rey Feo was formally invited to be part of Fiesta in 1980 and was given his own parade called Paseo Del Rey Feo. The Parade was an integral part of Fiesta from 1980-1987.