The City Reliquary Museum (370 Metropolitan Avenue) has once again put out the call for contestants to compete for the title of Miss Subways 2026.
The City Reliquary version of this contest, which they revived in 2017, “expands on the progressive history of Miss Subways as the first racially integrated beauty competition and invites contestants of all gender identities, body types, and ages 18+ to apply,” states their website. Contestants compete in three categories: costume, talent, and interview. They are evaluated by a panel of judges according to creativity, originality, and skill.
Applications for Miss Subways 2026 are being accepted through 11:59 p.m. on May 12. To access the form, scan the QR code. Finalists selected will be notified by Friday, May 15.
The Miss Subways 2026 pageant will take place on June 5 from 7 p.m.–10 p.m. at Coney Island USA’s Sideshows by the Seashore Theater (1208 Surf Avenue).
Performances from 2025’s competition included a tribute to the R46 subway cars accompanied by a handcrafted puppet, an operatic ode to reading on the train, a draglesque number embodying a puddle of subway goo, contortion, comedy, and a subway rat rap.
The original Miss Subways contest was created by an ad agency and ran from 1941 to 1976. Although a modeling agency used it to promote its models, it wasn’t the usual beauty contest. The look was more girl-next-door and the winners would have posters made of their headshots and would contain a list of goals that were pretty progressive for the times. About 200 women held the Miss Subways title from 1941 to 1976. During the first ten years the contest was monthly, then every two months, and after 1962 was sporadic.
In 2002, The City Reliquary Museum was first established in an apartment window on the corner of Grand and Havemeyer. Its nostalgic items caught many an eye, and in 2006 the museum moved to 370 Metropolitan Avenue, which had rooms to display the permanent collection of NYC artifacts and room to walk around. In addition to the permanent collection the museum offers rotating exhibits of community collections and annual cultural events.
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