Fiestas de Santa Fe

Fiestas de Santa Fe

North Central Region of New MexicoFiestas de Santa Fe has been held since 1712 to commemorate the return of the Spanish to the city in 1692, after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. The burning of Zozobra (Old Man Gloom) dates from 1924, when William Howard Shuster, Jr. came up with the idea of creating the effigy. Today, over 40,000 people go to Fort Marcy Park on Santa Fe's northside to watch Zozobra burn away the troubles they wrote on the pieces of paper used to stuff the 50-foot tall puppet. Zozobra marks the start of three days of celebration that includes Mass at St. Francis Cathedral; a reenactment of the Entrada, when de Vargas returned to the city; the Children's Pet Parade; and the Historical/Hysterical Parade.