We thought that Pizza Rat was the mascot of NYC until the colossal, hyper-realistic pigeon sculpture, aptly named Dinosaur, landed on the High Line last October–if you haven’t seen it yet you must be out of your bird! And this summer we’re getting a full blown pigeon party centered around Dinosaur and his pals as Pigeon Fest: a free, all-day festival celebrating National Pigeon Appreciation Day heads to the High Line!
During Pigeon Fest visitors will be treated to a full-day of free public programming where these feathered creatures are the star, including pigeon-themed carnival games, family-friendly art workshops, a concert presented in collaboration with the Birdsong Project, a Discovery Fair, and more.
But the event we’ve mainly got our eyes on is the Pigeon Impersonation Pageant, because if you know anything about New Yorkers you know we show up and show out at an impersonation/lookalike contest (see: Jeremy Allen White, Zayn Malik, and Timothée Chalamet, which was actually attended by the actor himself!).
So get ready to preen your feathers, forage for food, and let out your best “cooo” because NYC is looking for the city’s best pigeon impersonator. Hosted by legendary costume designer and NYC icon, Machine Dazzle, contestants will be judged on plumage (costume), strut, and sound by a panel of experts. And the event will be attended by by Iván Argote himself (the artist behind Dinosaur) so your pigeon pride better be in full force!
But the event isn’t just about having a laugh and forging friendships with our pigeon neighbors. There will also be educational portions of the festival, with more than a dozen organizations engaged in work around birds, urban wildlife, migration, and monuments sharing information about their work, hosting demonstrations, and presenting hands-on educational activities.
The Pigeon Fest schedule is as follows:
- 12pm – Zumba: Pigeon Dance Party | strut your stuff during a high-energy Zumba dance class next to Dinosaur
- 1pm – Mother Pigeon’s Impeckable Puppet Show | based on the real-life adventures of Mother Pigeon, famed Union Square artist and advocate for all city wildlife
- 2pm – Pigeon Impersonation Pageant | compete for the title of NYC’s Best Pigeon Impersonator
- 3:30pm – Panel Discussion: Building Bird-friendly Cities | a lively conversation with experts working at the intersection of policy, ecology, and urban design
- 4:15pm – Artist Talk with Iván Argote & Cecilia Alemani | a conversation on the making of Dinosaur and the role public art plays in city life and civic memory
- 5:30-8pm – Musical Concert, Curated in Collaboration with the Birdsong Project | a vibrant outdoor concert on the Dinosaur Stage
Alan van Capelle, Executive Director of Friends of the High Line, stated:
We’ve been awed by the overwhelming response to Iván Argote’s Dinosaur sculpture, and we saw an opportunity to explore urban ecology and the important relationship New Yorkers have with nature and wildlife. Love them or hate them, people are fascinated by our feathered neighbors, and this festival felt like a fitting way to celebrate New Yorkers’ dynamic relationship with art, nature, and, most specifically, pigeons.
We’ll see you there, bread in hand! And, if you can’t find us, just coo and we’ll come running (or, well, flying).
📍 The High Line – 30th Street and the Spur
🗓 Saturday, June 14th
⏰ 12pm – 8pm