For over a century, an effigy known as Zozobra has been symbolically burned in advance of the Fiestas de Santa Fe, an event that itself dates back to 1712 and celebrates the Spanish reconquest and peaceful reoccupation of Santa Fe in 1692.
Burning Old Man Gloom
In recent times the Zozobra—also known as “Old Man Gloom” and made of wood, wire and cotton cloth—has grown in size, his appearance fashionably different (but still scary) every year, and he comes to threaten the local children the Friday before Labor Day weekend.
On that night, the 50-foot marionette stands threateningly over the crowd, dozens of “Gloomies”—dancers representing children that he has robbed of hope—by his side, but then a brave Fire Spirit dancer comes to confront him, and try to save those unhappy Gloomies.
Good triumphs, and Zozobra is set alight, roaring and moaning as he burns and crumples into ash, his body stuffed full of slips of paper with a description of the woes and worries that people, both from New Mexico and around the world, also want to see going up in smoke.
Embracing Sana Fe
Whether you decide to join the 60,000 people who come to see the Zozobra vanquished or not, your starting point for exploring will be Santa Fe Plaza, the main meeting place in the city. Staying at La Fonda, a former railway Harvey House, puts you right there, and within just a few blocks in every direction there is more than enough to keep you entertained.
Taxis and ride shares are limited (best to book in advance), and traffic can be very challenging too, so walking is preferable if possible: pick up one of the free maps.
On arriving in town, we usually go straight for lunch at Tomasitas, which has been in operation since 1947 and is a local favorite for Northern New Mexican cuisine.
Tourism Santa Fe
They’re located alongside the Santa Fe Railyard District, a community area that’s home to bars, breweries, restaurants, art galleries and the location for concerts, farmers and artisan markets. Be sure to check out the El Mercado del Museo, just across the railway tracks, which is a hidden gem of antiques and vintage items.
By now you will already have seen bunches of chile ristra—dried red chiles—hanging everywhere, shaking in the wind, and in restaurants you will be asked: “red, green or Christmas?” That’s the choice of chilis to go with your meal, and our answer is always “Christmas,” which is both together. Be sure also to order sopapillas, a puffed dough treat that you drizzle with honey.
The galleries and sculpture gardens on Canyon Road are worth a visit at any time of the year – go early in the day to avoid crowds – and stop in a Luca Décor, which features a number of spinning wheels called kinetic sculptures. Watching them is mind bending and mesmerizing!
Go in almost any direction from the Plaza, and you’ll find a number of museums. The Georgia O’Keefe Museum celebrates the life and work of the artist, who spent decades living and working in New Mexico, and her later years living in Santa Fe. There’s also the New Mexico Museum of Art, the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, and the Museum of International Folk Art and Contemporary Native Arts for different perspectives and experiences.
The New Mexico History Museum stands up to repeated visits, and gives you the full background on the complex and fascinating history of the State, which includes cowboys, conquerors, miners, explorers, as well as the ancient history of the native people and the many wars and conflicts.
Tourism Santa Fe
For a more focused learning experience, the docent history tours at La Fonda are free for all, and give you an overview of the building and its architecture; long before the Harvey Girls came to town, its location as various inns goes back to the 800-mile Old Santa Fe Trail. Follow that with a meal in their central atrium dining area, which has a fountain at its center and is surrounded on all sides by panels of individually painted glass squares.
As you might expect, there are many opportunities to buy jewelry, cowboy boots, hats, rugs, baskets and leather goods, both from locals in the Plaza who display their work on colorful blankets and from high-end outlets.
We always go to LewAllen, a generational family store that specializes in unique work in silverwork and 14k gold. Either way, if you like turquoise, which has been mined in the region for centuries (and still is in some areas), then you will be spoiled for choice.
My own obsession is with alebrijes, the Mexican folk art of creating fantastical animal sculptures of wood or papier mâché, painted in psychedelic-bright colors and intricate patterns. They come in all sizes and are available everywhere, and are often unique to each artist.
The alebrijes are an ideal distraction for the kids, as is a visit to Kakawa Chocolate House, a small place that produces handmade chocolates and “elixirs,” drinking chocolate recreated from Mesoamerican and European recipes. Dark chocolate is most popular here, as well as the inevitable chili chocolate.
If you’re really inspired by the food, grab some southwest-style ingredients from the Santa Fe Cooking School, or even take one of their classes (but be sure to book in advance), and on the way out of town, grab a final bite at another legendary local joint: Blake’s Lotaburger.
Most people take out from this red and white roadside shack, which serves fries, malts and shakes, while some sit at the few tables to eat. Your order? The green chile burger, of course!
Learn more about visiting Santa Fe at santafe.org.
The Magic of the Farolitos
Tourism Santa fe
If you visit Santa Fe during the winter months, you’ll certainly need a scarf and gloves, as it can get very cold at night, but the smoky smell of piñon (pine tree) is everywhere, and the nighttime views of the farolitos, small brown paper bags weighted down with a candle flickering inside, are unforgettable. Countless numbers of them line wall tops and even sidewalks, and are especially impressive during the Christmas Eve Walk along Canyon Road, a half mile-long road that slowly inclines uphill toward the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and has almost as many art galleries as it does these “little lanterns.”