Chris Linson, of Santa Fe, carries his grandson Joaquin Linson, 9, on his shoulders while they watch the 98th Burning of Zozobra on September 2, 2022, at Ft. Marcy Park. Old Man Gloom sported a 90s theme this year. Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican
Old Man Gloom lets out a few growls as he starts to belch fire Friday during the 98th Zozobra at Fort Marcy park. Tens of thousands of fans turned out to watch the ’90s themed effigy burn.
Old Man Gloom starts to burn down to nothing Friday during the 98th Zozobra at Fort Marcy park.
Abbey-Michelle Graham, left, Karla Hernandez and Kaylee Kornosky of Albuquerque hang out Friday at the 98th Burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy park. The trio were all fans of Sailor Moon in the 1990s. Old Man Gloom sported a ’90s theme this year.
Jodi McGinnis Porter, a breast cancer survivor, shows off her bra at the gloom table Friday during the 98th Burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy park.
Adella Gallegos, right, and Magdalena Sanora-McNeil dance to ’90s tunes on the field Friday during the 98th Zozobra at Fort Marcy park.
Ray Sandoval and his crew spray paint Zozobra’s hair with different coats of metallic paint complete with highlights for the 98th annual burning of Zozobra on Friday at Fort Marcy Park.
Zozobra’s head arrives at Fort Marcy Park early Friday morning just in time to have his hair painted before he is raised up for the 98th annual burning.
Isaac Varela looks out from the chest cavity of Zozobra as he helps attach Zozobra’s buttons Friday morning before he is raised for the 98th annual burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy Park.
Arya Yount, 4, throws up the stuffing that fell out of Zozobra as he was transported to Fort Marcy Park early Friday morning. Arya’s parents and, before them, her grandparents have helped transport Zozobra to the park for many years.
Jacob Romero inspects a strand of fireworks that will be used in the burning of Zozobra as they prepare the marionette to be hung early Friday morning.
Zozobra’s arm reaches out before he is raised for the annual burning at Fort Marcy Park.
Danielle Harvey, right, 7, watches her friend G.K. Khalsa, 10, do cartwheels Friday at the 98th Burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy Park.
Zozobra is raised up with the help of many volunteers and a crane Friday morning at Fort Marcy Park in anticipation of the 98th annual burning.
Chris Linson, of Santa Fe, carries his grandson Joaquin Linson, 9, on his shoulders while they watch the 98th Burning of Zozobra on September 2, 2022, at Ft. Marcy Park. Old Man Gloom sported a 90s theme this year. Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican
Zozobra’s head arrives at Fort Marcy Park early Friday morning just in time to have his hair painted before he is raised up for the 98th annual burning.
Isaac Varela looks out from the chest cavity of Zozobra as he helps attach Zozobra’s buttons Friday morning before he is raised for the 98th annual burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy Park.
Jacob Romero inspects a strand of fireworks that will be used in the burning of Zozobra as they prepare the marionette to be hung early Friday morning.
Zozobra’s arm reaches out before he is raised for the annual burning at Fort Marcy Park.
Danielle Harvey, right, 7, watches her friend G.K. Khalsa, 10, do cartwheels Friday at the 98th Burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy Park.
Old Man Gloom lets out a few growls as he starts to belch fire Friday during the 98th Zozobra at Fort Marcy park. Tens of thousands of fans turned out to watch the ’90s themed effigy burn.
With sparklers flying from his mouth and flames quickly enveloping his boy band garb, Zozobra burned to the ground for the 98th time.
Not even his frosted tips survived.
In a Friday night full of 1990s music, mariachi bands and beach balls, Old Man Gloom’s annual demise appeared to draw a record crowd to Fort Marcy Ballpark.
Event chairman Ray Sandoval said early estimates show about 65,000 people came to the first full-fledged Burning of Will Shuster’s Zozobra after two years of limitations imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The previous attendance record was set in 2019, with a crowd of 63,000 people, Sandoval said.
The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe, which presents the show each year, is expected to provide an accurate count of attendees Saturday based on drone footage.
“I think the event was amazing,” Sandoval said after the show. “Couldn’t ask for better weather. People looked like they were enjoying themselves.”
The Kiwanis Club hosted hours of live entertainment for the tens of thousands of locals and out-of-towners who gathered for the ’90s-themed celebration — and Zozobra was ready for it. The doomed marionette donned suspenders, a stylized belt, short sleeves, arm tattoos and bleach-blond hair — fit to perform with Justin Timberlake and the ’90s boy band NSYNC.
Ray Sandoval and his crew spray paint Zozobra’s hair with different coats of metallic paint complete with highlights for the 98th annual burning of Zozobra on Friday at Fort Marcy Park.
Since 2014, the Kiwanis Club has been counting down the decades until Zozobra’s 100th birthday. This year, the celebration took revelers back to a ’90s dance party.
Gray clouds initially hovered above the field at Fort Marcy, but Jerry Padilla of Albuquerque-based Event Technology Services said weather wouldn’t stop the burning.
Adella Gallegos, right, and Magdalena Sanora-McNeil dance to ’90s tunes on the field Friday during the 98th Zozobra at Fort Marcy park.
“We’re going to burn him no matter what,” said Padilla, who serves as ETS’ head lighting designer. “It could rain, and we could still have some great lighting up there.”
The threat of rain and gusts of wind seemed to have no effect on early attendees as they settled into folding chairs and listened to a rendition of the Cranberries’ classic “Zombie” performed by Broken G String, a New Mexico-based band.
Josh Johannsen of Las Cruces and Amanda Greco of San Diego, who traveled to Santa Fe together, said they appreciated the ’90s theme, with Johannsen calling it “classic childhood stuff” and everything he grew up with.
Johannsen, 33, and Greco, 31, had never heard of Zozobra before their trip, they said, but decided to check it out while they were in town.
“It’s a cool concept,” Johannsen said, speaking of the community tradition of burning away the year’s gloom along with the oversized marionette. He and Greco were still pondering what gloomy pieces of their past they wanted to burn.
Jodi McGinnis Porter, a breast cancer survivor, shows off her bra at the gloom table Friday during the 98th Burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy park.
Santa Fe resident Robert Payton said Friday was his 23rd year attending Zozobra. He keeps coming back to spend time with family and watch his gloom from the previous year go up in smoke.
Payton, 54, said one of his longtime clients — who treated him like a son — recently died. He planned to commemorate his friend at this year’s event.
“I want to give my prayer for him and give prayers to everybody that is suffering that can’t make it here,” Payton said.
Mateo West and Sabbath Sisco reminisced about how they spent last year’s Zozobra, when tickets were limited to 10,000.
“Our first [Zozobra] together we snuck into someone’s backyard and saw it for free,” West said, indicating a ridge right above the park.
West, 33, said he has been attending Zozobra his whole life. Sisco, who moved to Santa Fe only two years ago, was experiencing the event in person for the first time.
“I’ve been to many music festivals before, and this is a different concept completely,” she said.
West said he would like to send out some wishes along with his glooms. He added he hopes to talk less and do more in the coming year.
Sisco, 22, said, “I’m just wanting more positive energy and less hard times.”
Crowds of people continued to flood the venue with every passing hour. Accompanying their arrival were songs essential to any ’90s playlist: Shania Twain, Santana, TLC, Chumbawamba, Britney Spears.
Abbey-Michelle Graham, left, Karla Hernandez and Kaylee Kornosky of Albuquerque hang out Friday at the 98th Burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy park. The trio were all fans of Sailor Moon in the 1990s. Old Man Gloom sported a ’90s theme this year.
A group of co-workers from Albuquerque dressed in full Sailor Moon costumes. They expected more people to be dressed in ’90s style.
They weren’t even sure Zozobra himself lived up to the theme.
“I feel like usually they kind of really nail it down,” Kaylee Kornosky said. “This time it was a little vague — but, I mean, it’s cool.”
Sandoval said Zozobra’s ’90s look was a balancing act between the decades theme and the bogeyman’s more classic look.
Old Man Gloom starts to burn down to nothing Friday during the 98th Zozobra at Fort Marcy park.
“What I love about this is that everybody in our city feels ownership over our little monster,” Sandoval said. “What I hope we accomplished tonight was that perfect balance between celebrating our Decades Project, but giving Santa Fe a traditional Zozobra.”
As day turned to dusk, the crowd began to thirst for fire.
One man described the wait as “ ’90s agony.”
Eventually, the lights dimmed and fireworks shot up around Zozobra, and then began to spew from the marionette’s mouth.
As sparks flew from his angry jaws, the flames took hold.
In a matter of minutes, Old Man Gloom was gone.
Abbey Smith of Los Angeles, who experienced the burning for the first time Friday, said the event lived up to what she imagined.
“It was spectacular,” she said. “They made us wait a little bit too long, but it really builds up the anticipation.”
As for the meaning behind Zozobra, Smith, 38, said she appreciated what had brought thousands of people together Friday.
“It’s a collective gathering of everyone letting go of their fears, sorrows, anything that’s been holding them back in their lives,” she said. “[There is] a huge turnout of all ages, friendship groups, families. … Everyone’s here together to let just let it all go and burn the man.”
Arya Yount, 4, throws up the stuffing that fell out of Zozobra as he was transported to Fort Marcy Park early Friday morning. Arya’s parents and, before them, her grandparents have helped transport Zozobra to the park for many years.
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.
Stay informed of the latest local news by receiving emails as soon as news is posted online.
Receive a list of headlines from the latest edition of The New Mexican in your inbox every morning.
Contests and special offers from The Santa Fe New Mexican and advertising partners.
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.
Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.