Ray Sandoval is asking people to leave Zozobra a little lighter than they arrived, and this year’s burn arrives with a royal costume and a hard stop at 8:45 p.m. The 102nd annual Burning of Zozobra takes place Friday at Fort Marcy park, where tens of thousands are expected to gather.
"I hope that people leave feeling a little bit lighter than when they came," Sandoval said. He also said, "I hate to admit this, because he already has a huge ego, but I think he’s going to be one of the most handsome Zozobras that we’ve ever put up" and, "It’s going to be hard to burn this one. … There’s a part of me that’s like, ‘I can’t wait to light him on fire,’ because this one has been the most difficult."
Fort Marcy park on Friday
Gates open at 4 p.m., then Music and the annual beach ball toss follow before Old Man Gloom burns sometime after 9 p.m. Everyone has to be inside the venue by 8:45 p.m., a narrow window that makes the arrival time the part of the night that matters most for anyone planning to attend.
The event runs rain or shine, and as of Wednesday there was a 30% chance of rain Friday in Santa Fe. That leaves the crowd with one clear operational choice: get there early or miss the start of the show.
King George III for Zozobra
Zozobra will wear a crown and scepter as King George III, tied to the theme "The Tyranny of Gloom vs. the Spirit of ‘76." The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe is putting on the yearly burning with the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to mark the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
That theme gives the costume more than a visual gag. It turns the figure into a literal piece of the night’s argument between gloom and the Spirit of '76, and it gives the beach ball toss a specific dedication this year to Dolly Parton.
Than Povi Martinez rehearses
Than Povi Martinez, the Gloom Queen, rehearsed with other Gloomies during Wednesday’s dress rehearsal at Fort Marcy park and will be passed the torch as the new fire spirit. The setup puts a named performer inside the night’s central handoff, while the rest of the cast has already moved into costume and blocking for Friday.
For anyone attending, the practical takeaway is simple: arrive before 8:45 p.m., expect the gates to open at 4 p.m., and plan for the burn after 9 p.m. Sandoval’s own view fits the job description here: this is the year’s most difficult build, and he sounds ready to watch it go up in flames.
