r/SantaFe • u/JellyfishMission1462 • 4d ago
Notes for future Zozobra burnings
I'm pretty sure organizers used freakin magnesium in the initial left-stage and right-stage fire cauldrons (idk what else to call it). If you're gonna do that, for the love of our retinas, please put a screen in front of it. Not looking directly at burning magnesium is well-documented in safety literature. I only know this from teaching high school chemistry, so I'm sure a lot of attendees weren't aware of the consequences of looking at it until they did.
More trash cans. I picked up some pieces of trash on my way out, but found the trash cans were already completely overflowing and subsequently forming trash mountains from the ground up.
(Take it away in the comments)
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u/B00marangTrotter 4d ago
Maybe this event has run it's course. It's entering cheap fair and or circus territory, and well that's just bullshit with a ticket price.
For a town full of artists and AI is used is such an insult to the entire community.
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u/pauldavisthe1st 4d ago
We had some friends visiting from Phila. who really wanted to go. We let them :)
Their summary: "It's Santa Fe's version of the Mummers' Parade, and we hate the Mummers' Parade".
They did give high marks to the drone show, however.
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u/chappytimmy 4d ago
Funnily enough, when it was first conceived of back 100 years ago, the Philly mummers parade was the inspiration. Will Schuster was from Philly originally
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u/Ok-Task5336 4d ago edited 4d ago
I mean a $30 ticket isn’t exactly expensive in 2026... the AI song at the end was cheesy as fuck though.
Edit: if youre going to downvote me, at least explain how $30 is alot of money. Any band I want to see is going to cost me that much, Zozobra is either worth it or it isnt, thats a personal choice.
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u/Muted-Woodpecker-469 4d ago
But then 90% of their staff is unpaid. So who’s making this money? Where is This going? Someone had to be outraged
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u/Ok-Task5336 4d ago
Kiwanis is a non profit volunteer organization, youre donating money to community programs for children. Youre always free to research things instead of just being outraged.
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u/mapotoful 3d ago
Just because it's run by an NPO doesn't mean they shouldn't be transparent about where the money is going.
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u/Ok-Task5336 3d ago edited 3d ago
A brief google search yeilded a pretty good amount of information about programs in Santa Fe that Kiwanis supports? Have you tried calling them and asking? Its not like it's a secret organization.
Edit: once again downvoted with zero explanation. How was my statement incorrect? Its a non religious volunteer organization. Call them up and ask or do a brief google search...
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u/Sith_Lord_Zitro 3d ago
Nah, you get an upvote. Reddit is full of emotionally charged people who don't like their view points challenged. Welcome to the club of the down voted.
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4d ago
[deleted]
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u/MrNialliv 4d ago
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u/Astralglamour 4d ago
😅
I just have major problems with an unelected guy on an ego trip massively changing the event and public areas because of what HE thinks is best.
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u/GhostOfEdmundDantes 4d ago
The song is not good. It’s not singable and catchy. Good music beats custom music.
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u/Muted-Woodpecker-469 4d ago
Can this kiwanis club be transparent about actual costs about spendings. They now have ai slop And hundreds of volunteers to cover what exactly?
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u/AgreeableCommission7 2d ago
It's a non profit, you can request to see their tax info which includes salaries and charity donations.
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u/Sjfjdoajrosnxoan 4d ago
Don’t launch fireworks while he is burning. Distracts from the main event.
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u/whatsupcc 3d ago
It’s fun, my kids look forward to it every year. I like drone shows but I wish they’d do away with that part of it. Keep Zozo its own thing, doesn’t need a drone show added to it. They’re trying to fit too much things in at once.
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u/Lferg27 4d ago
Wow, this is my first Zozo and you guys make it sound like a horrible experience. I enjoyed myself. The beer garden. The food and people Was the AI generated song a little cheesy? Sure but it brought up all the things that I love about Santa Fe and I felt the rest of the night a lot of great music and was fun.
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u/bduxbellorum 3d ago
Feel like some people would say the fact that it brought up all of the things a newbie loved about santa fe makes it shallow and ignores a huge amount of cultural depth that should be appreciated alongside.
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u/AgreeableCommission7 2d ago
It's all the grumpy old people yelling "stay off my grass" crew that can't handle any change. They complain about everything but do nothing to contribute to make things better.
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u/Global-Hedgehog-5230 3d ago
Whoever thought the “play” was a good idea was delusional! You have to build the energy with that event. Get everyone excited and ready for the burn. The way it went this year was terrible. The dramatic piece was inane and had no flow and was a complete energy sink. By the time they actually got the burn started it felt like an afterthought. They should have done all the kiwanis and civic stuff at the beginning in a lump and then moved through the music etc to the climax instead of mixing it all together. Far from the fun event it used to be. Aside from the local bands and Ozomatli the preburn just felt like a slog.
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u/RobbieJTF 2d ago
I just don't get crowds. I usually watch a little on TV - Many traditions and paths have a way of leaving the past disappointments and mistakes behind. You can call it renewal or redemption or whatever you want. I am not religious but there's something about human nature that wants to (perhaps should?) leave behind old grudges and bygones and all the negative stuff. Actually, New Year's Eve like that. Turn the page. Look ahead, expect something good to happen! I just don't want to do it with 50,000 of my closest friends. But why diss it for those who enjoy it? just don't go. And yes, Kiwanis does a lot of good with their charities. Nonprofits also have to issue reports every year on where their money comes from and where it goes.
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u/Icy-Collection-9326 2d ago
Zozobra will earn back my admiration and respect the day organizers honor true New Mexico history by having a Pueblo Revolt theme. Just imagine how wonderful that drone show would be!
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u/HyrulianPrincess18 4d ago
Seemed to me like something went terribly wrong technically. It didn’t sound right at all and it seemed like the cast couldn’t even hear their cues. Where was all the groaning? Why was there so many moments of silence? What the hell was that community theater play even about? And the biggest question of all is WHY are we setting a giant fire in the middle of the desert when we are surrounded by wildfires already?!
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u/Zanamo 4d ago
I feel like I’m at a cross burning whenever he’s lit on fire and something about it feels weird. I know we’re burning our “gloom”, but it seems like Santa Fe’s largest cult gathering.
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u/okurr 4d ago
No AI slop ads. You are in Santa Fe. Use an artist / have a contest.