Posts Tagged ‘Riders Alliance’

Who Will Be Miss Subways 2019?

Perhaps it’s you?

The City Reliquary and Riders Alliance are seeking contestants who believe they should be the public ambassador for the New York City subway in its time of crisis. Despite the potentially “miss”-leading title, we welcome contestants of all gender identities!

TO ENTER: Send the following in an email to [email protected]:

  1. A short essay telling us why you want to be Miss Subways 2019, what your favorite subway line is, and why it inspires/enrages/enchants you;
  2. A detailed description of your proposed performance. Show your love for our subterranean system through song, dance, poetry, or any other talent: Rubik’s cube solving, hula hooping, speed knitting, playing the sousaphone…surprise us!
  3. A photo and/or short video (< three minutes).

The deadline for entries is SEPTEMBER 29, 2019 at 11:59 pm! Contestants will be notified of their acceptance on a rolling basis.

Competition will be fierce! The more compelling your entry, the greater the chance of being selected as a final contestant!

Miss Subways 2019!

An illustration of the Statue of Liberty wearing a sash reading "Miss SUbways 2019." Art by Ben Wigler.
Art by Ben Wigler.

Tickets are Available Now!

The Third Annual Miss Subways Extravaganza will take place on Thursday, October 3, 2019! We’re returning to Littlefield, 635 Sackett Street in Brooklyn, for this year’s celebration of the weird, wild, frustrating, entertaining, and vital circulatory system that is our city’s subways.

With cascading malfunctions and literal cascades happening all too frequently, it can be difficult to find things to celebrate about our transit system. But let’s not forget the bright spots of the past year in subway news: the L Train shutdown was downgraded from “apocalypse” to merely “difficult.” New York passed a congestion pricing plan which will help speed up city buses and raise additional revenue for transit. A new fare payment system is on its way. And…well…there’s always a chance of seeing a dog in a bag. Our subways need advocates and ambassadors more than ever!

This event serves as a call to arms for subway supporters and lovers of the NYC underground. A modern take on the Miss Subways pageants held in NYC between 1941 and 1976, subway riders of all ages and gender identities are encouraged to participate! In a night of performances spanning the classy, the trashy, the weird, and the whimsical, contestants will demonstrate their devotion to their subway line of choice. But only one can take home the transit tiara! Our panel of distinguished judges, with assistance from the audience, will select this year’s public ambassador, Miss Subways 2019.

All proceeds from the event support the City Reliquary, NYC’s finest cabinet of city curiosities, and Riders Alliance, a membership organization dedicated to winning better transit by organizing bus and subway riders into a powerful political constituency.

If you’re interested in being a contestant in the Miss Subways Extravaganza 2019, click HERE for more information on applying!

Press Coverage for Miss Subways 2017

Miss Subways 2017 received a ton of great media coverage. If you weren’t able to attend this event, definitely check out some of the links below. And be sure not to miss Miss Subways 2018!
Articles with excellent event photos:
Gothamist
Post-event articles:
Atlas Obscura
Pre-event articles:

Introducing the 2017 Miss Subways Contestants!

We put out the call, and a fabulous group of civic New Yorkers responded. Here are the contestants who will compete for the title of Miss Subways 2017 on September 28. Each brings something special, but only one will take home the transit tiara.

Tickets on sale now! All proceeds benefit Riders Alliance and The City Reliquary! More event details here.

Let’s meet the contenders…

Don’t miss out on this weird, wonderful, and very New York event in support of the subway system! Get those tickets!
Event details here.

Sept. 28: The 2017 Miss Subways Extravaganza

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Deadline extended to Sept. 14!!

We’re seeking Miss Subways 2017!

On Thursday, September 28 at 7 PM, The City Reliquary Museum will host The 2017 Miss Subways Extravaganza. You might remember that the Reliquary celebrated NYC’s most maligned line with its 2009 “Miss G Train” competition. How things have changed! The G is now one of the most reliable lines in the system. Clearly, something must be done.

With a wink and a nod to the Miss Subways pageants held in NYC between 1941 and 1976, this event is a call to arms for advocates and lovers of the NYC underground. In a night of performances spanning the classy, the trashy, the weird, and the whimsical, contestants will demonstrate their love for their subway line of choice to a panel of local celebrity judges.

The Museum of Interesting Things will join us with a table display of subway ephemera!

Tickets are on sale for $20-$60 ($17 for Reliquary members). Beverages available by suggested donation, with beer courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery.
All proceeds benefit The City Reliquary and the Riders Alliance.

Are YOU this year’s Miss Subways?

Can your talents inspire Governor Cuomo to action? We’re looking for contestants who believe they should be the ambassador for the subway in its time of crisis. Despite the potentially “miss”-leading title, we welcome contestants of all gender identities. The deadline to enter is Thursday, September 14th at 11:59 PM. 

TO ENTER: Send the following to [email protected]:
1) a short essay telling us why you want to be Miss Subways 2017, what your favorite subway line is, and why it inspires/enrages/enchants you;
2) a detailed description of your proposed performance.Show your love for our subterranean system through song, dance, poetry, or any other talent: Rubik’s cube solving, hula hooping, speed knitting, playing the sousaphone…surprise us!;
3) a photo. Feel free to send additional things, such as a song you’ve written, or a story of a memorable subway ride.

Our judges panel features CELEBRITIES & CIVIC HEROES! Including:

janeane-garofalo

Actress, comedian, and progressive activist Janeane Garofalo! Rising to fame in the ’90s with iconic appearances on The Ben Stiller Show and Reality Bites, she recently starred in the 90s throwback comedy, Wet Hot American Summer!

 

 

RJDowntown NYC art star and icon, Reverend Jen Miller! The Rev Jen was an early participating artist at Collective: Unconscious in the Lower East Side in the 1990s, where she began the Anti-Slam & Art Star movement. She’s been a muse for internationally renowned comedians and authors (the TV show “Bored to Death” featured a character based on her Elf Girl persona). She is the founder of the Mr. Lower East Side Pageant and of the Troll Museum, which tragically closed in 2016.
Roger-Clark 640x360NY1 reporter Roger Clark! As an intrepid NY1 morning reporter, Roger has surfed Rockaway Beach, learned the trapeze, kayaked the Hudson, and canoed the Gowanus Canal. He regularly covers community issues and highlights non-profits that help make NYC great. And he’s in a punk band! Roger’s band Perp Walk has played venues such as Bowery Electric, Hank’s Saloon, and The City Reliquary.

21994065_10213279746564399_7587461439172856378_oBaratunde R. Thurston, star of stage (acclaimed comedian, highly sought-after keynote speaker) and screens (producer, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah; fellow, MIT Media Lab, digital editor, The Onion, unusually astute talking head on political talk shows; prolific tweeter). He’s also the author of the New York Times bestseller, How to Be Black.