Pigeon Fest 2025: A Celebration of Birds, Urban Nature, and Public Art on the High Line

Saturday, June 14, 2025
12:00 – 8:00 PM

Various locations along the High Line at 30th Street and The Spur
Admission: Free and open to the public

Come for the pigeons—stay for the art, music, nature, and conversations that might just change the way you see the city.

On Saturday, June 14, 2025, the High Line invites New Yorkers and visitors alike to experience Pigeon Fest, a lively, all-day festival dedicated to one of the city’s most misunderstood residents: the pigeon. Taking place from 12:00 to 8:00 PM along the 30th Street stretch of the High Line, including The Spur, this free public event honors pigeons, urban ecology, and the dynamic role of public art in the life of a city.

Pigeon Fest centers around Iván Argote’s “Dinosaur”, a bold, 17-foot-tall aluminum pigeon sculpture perched at The Spur. At once humorous and thought-provoking, the artwork serves as the perfect backdrop for a festival that reimagines the pigeon not as a nuisance, but as a resilient, historic, and deeply urban creature worth celebrating.

Throughout the day, attendees can explore a rich lineup of pigeon-themed programming designed to entertain and educate. Families will enjoy whimsical carnival games, hands-on art workshops, and a delightfully quirky pigeon impersonation pageant. For those seeking deeper engagement, panel discussions will explore themes such as animal symbolism, the future of urban ecology, and the politics of monuments and public memory.

In collaboration with the Birdsong Project, the festival also features a live concert, blending music and nature in a space that brings together artists, scientists, and community members.

One of the festival’s key components is the Discovery Fair, where more than a dozen organizations focused on birds, migration, wildlife, and environmental advocacy will present interactive exhibits, demonstrations, and informational booths. From bird conservation to monument reinterpretation, these participants offer fresh insights into how humans coexist with nature in an urban environment.

At the heart of Pigeon Fest is a call to reconsider how we view the animals—and people—who occupy the margins of respectability and recognition. Once prized as vital messengers during World Wars I and II, pigeons were heralded as heroes, saving countless lives and earning medals of gallantry. Now often dismissed as pests, these birds still share our streets, stoops, and skies. Through the lens of Argote’s towering sculpture and a day filled with play and discovery, the High Line challenges visitors to reflect on who gets remembered, what we choose to elevate, and how we can better share our city with the natural world.