Tonight, the newly-renamed Zozobra Field at Fort Marcy Park in Santa Fe will be packed with tens of thousands of people baying to burn Zozobra, the 50-foot marionette that symbolizes their gloom every year.
And as it is 100 years since the icon of pessimism first caught alight, a hot air balloon was commissioned for the occasion. It made its debut in the clear light of Friday morning, nearly three times the size of the real Zozobra, in front of families who gathered to watch and cheer.
"Here it goes, Lucas," said Andel Trujillo to her young son, as they watched the giant head inflate, its green hair rising gently against the blue sky. She comes to Zozobra every year, missing only 2020 because of the pandemic and 2021 because of her son's birth.
"I love that my family's always gathered for it," she said. "It's like a family reunion every time."
Her brother Josh Trujillo, a photographer, was getting a cool shot of the face filling with air. His birthday is Zozobra week.
"So when I was a little kid like these guys, I always thought that it was actually for me," he said.
And in a way, he still does
"For people that were born and raised in Santa Fe, I think all of us as individuals feel it is for us," he said.
The annual, cathartic, burn began when artist Will Shuster and his friends burned an effigy inspired by traditions like Mexican and Yaqui conflagrations of images of Judas, a history examined in an exhibit at the New Mexico History Museum.
The event, in which Zozobra is stuffed with papers with people's "glooms" written on them, has grown to be a beloved Santa Fe tradition for many families with deep roots in northern New Mexico.
But this balloon Zozobra, the $265,000 price tag paid jointly by the City of Albuquerque, the City of Santa Fe and Zozobra organizers the Kiwanis Club, has slogans on his skirts to entice tourists.
Although Josh Trujillo is bringing friends from out of state to the event tonight, he feels a bit conflicted.
"You know, there's some complexity there with sharing a thing that is yours," he said.
The balloon, whose pointy fingers and bow tie were stitched in Bristol, England, will fly alongside other special shapes at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta later this year.
As it soared aloft, people cheered, and Breckin Cross, 10, was impressed.
"Before I thought it wouldn't actually be Zozobra," he said. "Before I thought it would be maybe a regular looking hot air balloon with a print of Zozobra on it."
Instead, it's more like a sculpture, complete with green fingernails and oversized ears.
"It's so interesting and so cool and I really like it."
