More than 30 contestants vied for a $100 prize at a packed Mexican restaurant in San Francisco's Mission district on Saturday, as a Bad Bunny look-alike contest unexpectedly erupted into a vibrant street party ahead of the Puerto Rican superstar's Super Bowl halftime show.
Participants from across the Bay Area donned the singer's signature looks, from straw "pava" hats to shearling aviator hats inspired by his recent album, Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, which won Album of the Year at the Grammys. Among them was Adam Fox, 24, who travelled from Belmont with his friend after being told they resembled the artist. "His music is like art. You don't have to totally understand it," Fox said.
The event, organised by Mission Loteria to promote Latino businesses, featured performances of Bad Bunny's "perreo" dancing and political statements against the Trump administration's deportation campaign. One contestant held an "ICE Out" sign. The festivities spilled onto the street, where a DJ played his tracks and an attendee dressed as the Puerto Rican crested toad from his music video joined in.
Pamela Guo, 33, who drove from San Jose with a painted-on beard and aviator hat, said she loves dancing to his music and finds his latest album's lyrics "deeper". The grand prize went to Abdul Ramirez Arroyave, a professional impersonator from Colombia, who thanked the crowd before breaking into "Debi tirar mas fotos" as fans sang along.
