The Buffalo Are Coming, the Buffalo Are Coming
September 15, 2026
Lower Manhattan might not be the first place you’d expect to find a herd of buffalo. But on Friday, September 18, 40 of them will march through the neighborhood, making their way from Bowling Green to Foley Square from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Though to be fair, these aren’t just any buffalo — they’re life-size puppets who are part of an impressive public art performance led largely by Native artists.
Produced by St. Ann’s Warehouse, the Walk Productions and KBH Arts, the art project, called “The Return of the Buffalo: Tatanka Owe Akupi,” is created by Amir Nizar Zuabi in partnership with Elders from Lenape and Lakota communities. The buffalo will march, graze and stampede their way through the neighborhood while accompanied by actors, civic leaders, gospel choirs, dance troupes, marching bands, prominent musicians and tribal leaders who will engage in activations along the route. Featured artists include Rhiannon Giddens, Laurie Anderson, Nathalie Joachim, Dither, Caridad De La Luz, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Native Pride Dancers, Pilobolus, Fogo Azul marching band, Heather Christian and the Terce Choir and Brooklyn United Marching Band.
The experience in part recalls the extraordinary resilience of the buffalo, a once nearly-extinct species that has managed to repopulate, and whose existence is crucial to maintaining local ecosystems.
Note that if you miss the Lower Manhattan stampede, the experience will be replicated on September 19 in Downtown Brooklyn. Learn more on St. Ann’s Warehouse’s website.
photo: courtesy St. Ann’s Warehouse
