SANTA FE, N.M. — Twelve Siberian Elm trees have been removed from Fort Marcy Park in preparation for the 101st Burning of Zozobra.
According to the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe, the trees made up about 3% of the park’s tree population. Officials say they posed a safety risk to the event and could have jeopardized insurance coverage if left in place. The removed trees will be replaced with new plantings in other areas of the park.
Fort Marcy Park has been the long-time home of the Burning of Zozobra, a Santa Fe tradition dating back to 1924. The park’s central location — just blocks from the historic Santa Fe Plaza — and its open layout make it ideal for hosting large crowds. The event draws tens of thousands of attendees each year, making it one of the city’s largest gatherings.
Originally created by artist Will Shuster, Zozobra is a towering marionette stuffed with symbolic “glooms” — worries, regrets, and hardships — which are burned in a fiery spectacle meant to mark renewal and the end of summer. The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe has organized the event since the 1960s, and Fort Marcy Park has remained its symbolic and logistical home.
To gather public input on future shade and tree placement, the City of Santa Fe will host a community meeting at Fort Marcy Park on August 21 at 5:30 p.m. Residents are invited to share ideas on where new trees or shade structures should be added.
