Editing Zozobra (section)

=== Event description ===

Event gates open at 4 pm and live entertainment leads up to the official pageant that begins at 7 p.m., featuring live music, performances, a beachball toss and a performance of America's [[The Star-Spangled Banner|national anthem]]. Lights-out music signals the start of the ritual tradition, and the annual drama begins in earnest. Zozobra begins to move, looking side to side and calling out his "Gloomies." A group of youthful dancers symbolize the children of Santa Fe, whom Zozobra has converted into his minions by clouding their minds and robbing them of their hope and happiness.  A group of torchbearers arrives, representing brave townsfolk who come to fight Zozobra's dark intentions to destroy the city's future. Zozobra's force is great and his Gloomies frighten away the torchbearers, who drop their flaming torches and scatter. Zozobra and his Gloomies celebrate, but the watching crowd is energized and begins to chant "burn him, burn him." Summoned by this urgent call for help, the Fire Spirit materializes, dressed in red with a headdress, symbolizing Old Man Gloom's archenemy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://burnzozobra.com/all-about-zozobra/history/ |title=The burning of Will Shuster's Zozobra |website=Burn Zozobra}}</ref> and representing goodness and light called forth to destroy the gloom and bad energy of the year. The Fire Spirit chases away the Gloomies and dances in a battle with Zozobra, whose arms and head move as he growls and groans.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://santafe.org/blog/burn_zozobras_gloom/|title=Join Thousands As We Burn Away Zozobra's Hold on Gloom |date=2017 |website=SantaFe.org}}</ref> Zozobra becomes incensed when the Fire Spirit takes up a pair of flaming torches to taunt him with the possibility of destruction. The struggle between light and darkness is finally consummated when the marionette is set alight by a series of internal fireworks and finally collapses, amidst a massive display of fireworks overhead, said to be creator Shuster's way of painting the sky. As the last of Zozobra smolders in a pile of glowing embers, the watching crowd joyously celebrates the victory of light over darkness.