Zozobra's demise signals the official beginning of the Santa Fe Fiestas, the oldest community celebration in North America. The Fiestas date back to 1712, when they were initiated in honor of Spaniard Don Diego de Vargas' peaceful reconquest of New Mexico in 1692 from the Native Americans. Though the Fiestas themselves date back centuries, the burning of Old Man Gloom has only been going on since the 1920s, when local artist Will Shuster decided the fiestas needed a little spice. The puppet started out about 20 feet tall, shrank down to just eight feet during World War II, and gradually grew to immense proportions over the years. On For the next few days, the downtown streets are filled with food stalls, parades, and performers.
Cuisine covers everything from fried Indian bread to peanut-butter burritos.
On Friday, September 8, the De Vargas Mass is held at 6am at the Rosario Chapel, though official opening ceremonies for the Santa Fe Fiestas isn't until noon that day at the Santa Fe Plaza. The character Don Diego De Vargas makes his entrance there at 1pm. That night, festivities kick into high gear with the Mariachi Extravaganza 2000, held at 7pm at the Tony Roybal Gym. The Children's Pet Parade, which starts off on Saturday, September 9 at 10am downtown, showcases kids with their pooches and the like. Later that night is the Gran Baile, or Grand Ball, a pageant of festive costumes, dance, and mariachi music.