Guess who’s baaaaaack!!!
Since 2019, Riverside Park has been playing host to a herd of furry landscapers: a group of goats from upstate New York that take up residence in the park each summer, munching on hard-to-reach, invasive plants like poison ivy and mugwort.
The ecological initiative, known as Goatham, helps the park handle its invasive plant species without pesticides. Ever since their furry debut, it’s become a beloved summer staple–so much so that the program has grown to include the popular annual “Great Goat Graze-Off,” where the goats demonstrate their competitive grazing skills in a live, timed event!
All off-season long, the park’s resident goats have been saving up their appetites—and the big day is officially happening this weekend on Saturday, July 18. Here’s what to know.
🐐 What to expect at Goatham 2026: the Great Goat Graze-Off
The Great Goat Graze-Off gives goat fans an exclusive chance to “meet and bleat” fifteen visiting goats, including the three specifically selected for their 10-week summer residency in Riverside Park.
- The Main Event: Watch as the three caprine contestants chew it out live onstage to see who can devour their designated portion of weeds the fastest
- The Host: The festivities will be overseen by George Shea of Major League Eating, best known for hosting Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
- Festival Fun: Beyond the stage, the event features local vendor booths, food and drinks, live music, goat-themed merchandise, photo-ops, arts and crafts, and games
- The Sign Contest: Brand new for 2026, human attendees can compete in a live contest for the “best homemade sign”, according to Harlem One Stop. Goat-related puns are highly encouraged, and real prizes will be awarded!
🏆 Meet the 2026 Competitors
Only one four-legged athlete can be crowned the G.O.A.T. Grazer. Here are the three contenders stepping up to the plate this year:
🍫 Mallomar (The Returning Champion)
A absolute staple of the Riverside Park herd year after year, Mallomar is unwavering in his loyalty, courage, and appetite. He might be the quiet type, but his calm, steadfast nature hides the heart of a champion. He’s returning to defend his title after winning the crown last summer.
🌹 Romeo (The Fan Favorite)
Returning to Riverside Park for his fifth stint, Romeo is the ultimate people-pleaser. He loves attention, hugs, and snuggles. While he didn’t grab the official trophy last year, he won the community’s heart and was voted the herd’s MVP for the second year running.
🦒 Big Buddy (The New Challenger)
Specially selected by the volunteers at Riverside Park’s Jenny’s Garden, Big Buddy is an alpine goat hailing from Red Hook, NY. He’s incredibly tall in both stature and spirit—so much so that he’s convinced he might actually be part giraffe. He’s ready to challenge the veterans with his top-tier grazing skills.
🌾 Why Use Goats for Lawn Care?
It turns out goats aren’t just great entertainers—they’re incredibly efficient, sustainable, and chemical-free lawn mowers.
Fun Fact: Goats eat almost constantly and can consume up to 5% of their own body weight in vegetation in just one single day. Even better? Their digestive systems easily handle toxic plants like poison ivy without a second thought, freeing up human gardeners from hazardous work.
Undaunted by steep slopes and West Harlem’s difficult terrain, these animals access areas that human landscapers struggle to reach. They eat the weeds down to the roots, which continuously stunts the invasive plants’ normal growth trajectory over several seasons until they’re completely suppressed.
After the weekend festivities wrap up, the three resident goats will head to a heavily vegetation-covered slope at West 137th Street. There, they’ll spend the next 10 weeks feasting on dense overgrowth of porcelain berry, English ivy, and mugwort to prepare the site for future native plantings.
📍 Details at a glance
- What: Goatham 2026: The Great Goat Graze-Off
- Where: The lawn north of Ten Mile Playground, at West 151st Street and the West Side Highway in West Harlem
- When: Saturday, July 18 | 11 am – 1:30 pm (rain date: July 19)
- Entry: free and open to the public, RSVP online