ZOZOBRA at 100

On Friday, August 30, 2024, Santa Fe had an amazing night when over 65,000 people watched Old Man Gloom burn for the 100th time. Keep Santa Fe Beautiful and Environmental Services staff and volunteers were there handing out thousands of bags encouraging folks not to leave their trash behind. Unfortunately, at the end of the event, the field was filled with litter. We sincerely thank all the Environmental Services Division staff, Parks Division staff, Volunteers, KSFB board members, friends, and family for sticking around to help clean up Fort Marcy Park.

The 1/4 mile long wall on Siringo Rd. across from Santa Fe High School has been an eyesore for years, continually tagged with graffiti and painted over with shades of gray and brown. Michelle Romero Babcock, a vital team member since 2014 wanted to see this wall transformed into a mural and said, “I wanted the neighborhood and students to see something beautiful when they walked or drove by. This long stretch of wall was a perfect canvas.”

This summer, Michelle’s wish to change the unsightly wall came true. KSFB Board of Directors raised the funds, and with a small grant from New Mexico Tourism Department hired John Knox, a local artist, who designed stencils of repetitive trees that made it easy for non-artists to help paint the mural.

Staff and many volunteers, including students from Santa Fe High School and The Academy of Technology and the Classics, helped prepare, paint, and complete the mural. When asked what she thought about the outcome, Michelle said, “Watching our local artist, KSFB staff, and Board of Directors, work together with our youth to create this beautification project was heart-warming. Each person had a unique painting style. There were lots of smiling faces and cheerful honks.   The mural came out so beautiful but there is a lesson behind it.  The lesson is EACH OF US CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”