Zozobra

Zozobra is the name of an effigy that is burned every autumn during "Fiestas" in Santa Fe, New Mexico, usually during the second week of September.

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Fiestas de Santa Fe has been held since 1712 to celebrate the retaking of the city after the Pueblo Revolt by Don Diego de Vargas. The burning of Zozobra dates from 1924, when William Howard Shuster, Jr. came up with the idea of creating the effigy, also called Old Man Gloom. Today Zozobra stands fifty feet tall and his burning marks the climax of a week of celebration that includes mass at St. Francis Cathedral, a reenactment of the Entrada, when De Vargas returned to the city, a Children's Pet Parade, and the Historical/Hysterical Parade. Zozobra is built by the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe and burned at Fort Marcy Park. One of the best places to watch Zozobra is from the Cross of the Martyrs north of the Plaza.

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Effigy: An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture: "the coin bears an effigy of Lincoln". Other examples include a George W. Bush or Guy Fawkes made of straw and old clothing....

Santa Fe, New Mexico: Santa Fe (Spanish, "Holy Faith") (full form: La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de As?s, English: Royal City of the Holy Faith of St. Francis of Assisi) is the capital of New Mexico, a state of the United States of America. It has a population of around 62,203 (2000). It is the county s...

September: September is the ninth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with 30 days....