Santa Fe Plaza and various venues
(505) 988-7575
The streets are filled with joyous shouts of "Viva la Fiesta" during early September, when the oldest community event in the U.S. takes place. The week-long festivities commemorate the reoccupation of Santa Fe led by Don Diego de Vargas in 1692, a dozen years after the Pueblo Indian Revolt. The city pulls out all the stops for this annual celebration, starting with
the Burning of Zozobra, the dramatic torching of a 49-foot tall marionette that groans and grimaces as he goes up in flames and fireworks at Fort Marcy Park, burning everyone's troubles from the past year. His ending marks the beginning of Fiesta, filled with music, dance, food, the beloved Children's Pet Parade, religious ceremonies and more. Blending pageantry with revelry and treasured traditions, Fiesta is a favorite time for visitors and locals alike!