View source for Zozobra

== Modern celebration ==

[[file:Zozobra (1341071479).jpg|thumb|Zozobra starting to burn]]

Each year in Santa Fe, New Mexico, over 60,000 people attend the event and hundreds of thousands watch online. The Labor Day Friday Burning of Zozobra is followed by a festive arts and crafts fair that launches the Santa Fe Fiesta over the Labor Day weekend. The following weekend welcomes the Santa Fe Fiesta Desfile de Los Niños, the Children's Pet Parade, on Saturday, the Hysterical-Historical Parade on Sunday, and a traditional mass at [[Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi|St. Francis Cathedral]].

Since receiving all rights to the Zozobra pageant in 1964 from creator Will Shuster, the [[Kiwanis Club]] of Santa Fe has built Zozobra and burned the effigy at Fort Marcy Park. The Zozobra that burned on September 7, 2007, was certified by [[Guinness World Records]] as the largest marionette in the world, at the time measuring {{cvt|15.21|m|ftin|2|abbr=on}} in height.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/1000/largest-puppetmarionette |title=Guinness World Records Entry for Largest puppet/marionette}}</ref>

The Burning of Zozobra was traditionally held in September, however, attendance at the event improved in 2014 when it was moved to the Friday immediately before Labor Day.<ref name="santafenewmexican">{{cite web|url=http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/zozobra-organizers-see-spike-in-early-ticket-sales/article_58e0b5ef-6b20-5aab-a4be-fbc27a55d296.html |title=Zozobra organizers see spike in early ticket sales |newspaper=The Santa Fe New Mexican |access-date=2 September 2015}}</ref>

=== Event description ===

Event gates open at 4 pm and live entertainment leads up to the official pageant that begins at 7 p.m., featuring live music, performances, a beachball toss and a performance of America's [[The Star-Spangled Banner|national anthem]]. Lights-out music signals the start of the ritual tradition, and the annual drama begins in earnest. Zozobra begins to move, looking side to side and calling out his "Gloomies." A group of youthful dancers symbolize the children of Santa Fe, whom Zozobra has converted into his minions by clouding their minds and robbing them of their hope and happiness.  A group of torchbearers arrives, representing brave townsfolk who come to fight Zozobra's dark intentions to destroy the city's future. Zozobra's force is great and his Gloomies frighten away the torchbearers, who drop their flaming torches and scatter. Zozobra and his Gloomies celebrate, but the watching crowd is energized and begins to chant "burn him, burn him." 

Summoned by this urgent call for help, a Fire Spirit materializes, dressed in red with a headdress, symbolizing Old Man Gloom's archenemy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://burnzozobra.com/all-about-zozobra/history/ |title=The burning of Will Shuster's Zozobra |website=Burn Zozobra}}</ref> and representing goodness and light called forth to destroy the gloom and bad energy of the year. The Fire Spirit chases away the Gloomies and dances in a battle with Zozobra, whose arms and head move as he growls and groans.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://santafe.org/blog/burn_zozobras_gloom/|title=Join Thousands As We Burn Away Zozobra's Hold on Gloom|date=2017|website=SantaFe.org|access-date=2018-05-05|archive-date=2018-05-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505134908/https://santafe.org/blog/burn_zozobras_gloom/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Zozobra becomes incensed when the Fire Spirit takes up a pair of flaming torches to taunt him with the possibility of destruction. The struggle between light and darkness is finally consummated when the marionette is set alight by a series of internal fireworks and finally collapses, amidst a massive display of fireworks overhead, said to be creator Shuster's way of painting the sky. As the last of Zozobra smolders in a pile of glowing embers, the watching crowd joyously celebrates the victory of light over darkness. The burning of Zozobra has been followed by the playing of "La Fiesta de Santa Fe" and a fireworks display. 

Only three individuals to date have consecutively performed as the Fire Spirit: Jacques Cartier, originator of the role; James "Chip Lilienthal, his protege; and Helene Luna, the current Fire Spirit, who previously performed as the Gloom Queen, a pageant role designed to give the new trainee an opportunity to perform onstage in advance of becoming the Fire Spirit.

In 2024, an audition for a new Fire Spirit was held in anticipation of Helene Luna's retirement; her final performance will be in 2026. Than Povi Martinez a Na Poh’Woh’Geh Owingeh native, will assume the role in 2027. During the 2024 event, Ms. Martinez keenly observed the logistics and pageant flow  in preparation to perform as the Gloom Queen in 2025 and 2026. Once Ms. Martinez becomes the Fire Spirit in 2027, the role of the Gloom Queen will be retired again until a new Fire Spirit once again needs to be selected.