Santa Fe Kia: Zozofest Preview Night

The Burning of Zozobra is considered one of Santa Fe’s most unique and historical events, with the 100th year of burning coming up in 2024. The Burning of Zozobra began as a gathering started by artist Will Shuster in 1924. What started as a small event meant to banish “zozobra” (which loosely translates in Spanish to “anguish, anxiety, or gloom”) has now reached hundreds of thousands of people all over the world.

As the final touches of summer leaves Santa Fe, shoppers at the Santa Fe Place Mall have typically gotten a surprise while the Kiwanis Club builds the imposing 50-foot puppet and sets up the art show the Burning of Zozobra is known for. This year, however, Santa Fe Kia sponsored an event that many bearers of gloom came to see.

The first ever Zozofest Preview Night came to a close on August 23 and was considered a roaring success. Gloomy folks gathered at the Santa Fe Place Mall to gain exclusive access to Ray Sandoval and Judith Moir, Kiwanis Club members and the creative minds behind the event. Hosted by Santa Fe Kia and catered by Posa’s Restaurant, it’s an event you won’t want to miss next year.

The event went from 5 to 7 p.m. and featured exclusive Zozo merch, art, and tickets for Zozofest alongside an exciting first look at the year’s puppet and the Zozofest art show. The Zozofest Preview Night also gave families the opportunity to submit their glooms in a more private event with the iconic puppet, in its final stages of preparation, lying around them. Visitors enjoyed quality food and refreshments from Posa’s Tamale Factory and Restaurant as they immersed themselves in Santa Fe’s beloved Zozo community and had the first chance to snag some premium merch — all for free.

The Zozofest Preview Night excited the Zozobra community and families with exclusive merch, local food from Posa’s, and the unique opportunity to offer up gloom early as the puppet looked on in its final stages of construction. The success of Zozofest Preview Night ensured that the event was here to stay.

The Zozofest Preview Night has come just in time with the special 100-year celebration happening next year. Gloom-bringers can expect an even bigger and better Preview Night to commemorate such an important and impressive event for the Santa Fe community. The Preview Night is a great addition to a long-time Santa Fe tradition. Don’t miss this grand celebration in 2024!