Zohran Mamdani leads NYC scavenger hunt with 2,000 supporters in mayoral campaign push

The scavenger hunt involved grassroots engagement, drawing thousands into the streets for a mix of politics and play.

New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani attracted 2,000 supporters on Sunday with a citywide scavenger hunt, a campaign event blending humour, politics and history.

The hunt began in Union Square, where participants collected printed cards before following clues tied to past mayors.

Mamdani announced the event in a video holding a bag of sour cream and onion crisps, a pointed reference to Mayor Eric Adams’ former adviser Winnie Greco, who was criticised last week for handing a reporter a snack bag filled with cash. “I’ve got something to hide. A lot of things, in fact,” Mamdani said in the clip.

Game on. pic.twitter.com/Oejx6d5YwE

— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) August 23, 2025

Clues led supporters through seven stops, including John V. Lindsay East River Park, before concluding at Little Flower Café in Astoria, one of Mamdani’s favourite spots.

Volunteers handed out chai at the finish line, while attendees queued for photos with the frontrunner. Many shared updates on social media using the hashtag #ZcavengerHunt.

#ZcavengerHunt pic.twitter.com/CE4xxOCpkQ

— juna elena (@mayjunejuna) August 24, 2025

Supporters described the event as both entertaining and politically meaningful. A Greenpoint resident said Mamdani “speaks to the New York City of today” and criticised his opponents, including Adams, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, as “out of touch.”

Mamdani told reporters the scavenger hunt reflected his campaign’s core message: “You can’t serve a city, you can’t fight for a city, if you don’t love that city.”

The scavenger hunt continued that theme of grassroots engagement, drawing thousands into the streets for a mix of politics and play.