The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe won't begin building Zozobra, the 50-foot marionette that is set afire on the eve of the annual Fiesta de Santa Fe, until next week (in a secret warehouse). But Tuesday afternoon, volunteers were helping sew the 49-foot dress worn by the toothless bogeyman created by artist Will Shuster in 1924.

They use about 300 yards of unbleached muslin ordered from a wholesaler. "Will used it and we continued that tradition," said event coordinator Ray Valdez. The muslin is sewn into strips and as more and more strips are added, the piece gets heavier and heavier, requiring in the end around 30 people to walk it through the sewing machines, Valdez said.

Although the fabric is the same, Old Man Gloom's hair color, the number of buttons down the front of his dress, the angle of the ears, the color of the eyes (and recently the pupils themselves) change a bit from year to year. Valdez said to expect an "interesting surprise" on the buttons this year.

The burn will take place at 8:35 p.m. Sept. 9 at Fort Marcy Park. Gates open at 3 p.m. and entertainment will start at 3:30 p.m. Featured performers include the James Douglas Show, La Junta and The Rev. Karol King Kong.

Tickets are available at the Lensic Performing Arts Center and www.ticketssantafe.com. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 the day of the event. Children 10 and under get in free. Tickets also will be available on Labor Day Weekend at the Kiwanis Booth on the Plaza during the Fiesta Arts & Crafts Fair.