Feathers and Fanatics

Many see them as pests. Some even call them rats with wings. But on a rainy June 14 Saturday, hundreds of people gathered along the High Line to celebrate New York’s most iconic bird: the pigeon.

The High Line’s Pigeon Fest was inspired by Dinosaur, a 16-foot pigeon statue that looms over 30th Street. Attendees played pigeon-themed carnival games, learned about urban ecology, and enjoyed musical performances.

The most anticipated event of the festival was the Pigeon Impersonation Pageant, where eight contestants vied for titles such as “Best Plumage” and “Fiercest Flapper.” The contestants were selected after submitting video entries.

Sophia Erskine did not think she would be chosen to compete. That was until her friend called her from an airplane.

“She called me one day and was like, by the way, we’re in,” Erskine said. “And then it got real.”

Erskine is one half of the acrobatic pair Peck and Wreck, who were the only duo in the pageant. She likes pigeons, but it was the other half of the duo, Mandy Meindersma, who convinced her to compete.

“I have pigeon pins, I have pigeon shirts, I have pigeon pants, I have pigeon everything, and I just love pigeons,” Meindersma said.

The pair’s pigeon personas reflect their real-life personalities. Erskine’s Peck is the calm, rational bird to balance out the rambunctious enthusiasm of Meindersma’s Wreck. In their act, the pigeons used their acrobatic skills and the power of friendship to reach a slice of pepperoni pizza in the sky.

Other contestants included an impeccably dressed paper-maché bird aptly named Pigeon, the Brooklyn drag king Pete Zaparty, and Carrie Beakshaw, the author of the column “Pidge and the City.”

Taylor Zakarin, an associate curator for the High Line and an organizer of the Pigeon Impersonation Pageant, said the contest was inspired by popular celebrity look-alike contests and by drag performance and culture.

“Drag performers use presentation and confidence and costume and satire to give voice to individuals who often defy convention,” she said.

The ultimate winner was a papier-maché pigeon donning a top hat and bow tie. Miriam Abrahams was the woman inside the costume. Her performance elicited a gasp from the audience as she laid an egg.

“ Some people love [pigeons], some people hate them, but they're incredibly intelligent birds,” she said. “They can actually recognize letters of the alphabet. They recognize faces. They're actually very clean as well.”

It’s unlikely that there will be another Pigeon Fest on the High Line as Dinosaur will be replaced next spring. Some wonder if, in true New York fashion, a rat festival is next.

For now, pigeon fanatics will continue to see the urban avians as representatives of New York City.

This interview ran on the What’s What podcast from WFUV News on June 18, 2025.