Bad Bunny look-alike contest turns San Francisco street into fiesta

A Bad Bunny look-alike contest at a Mexican restaurant in San Francisco quickly grew beyond its modest beginnings, drawing hundreds of fans and turning the surrounding streets into a lively, music-filled gathering. What started as a small event inside a Mission district restaurant soon spilled outdoors, with crowds singing along to the Puerto Rican artist’s songs and cheering on his many doppelgangers.

Fans sing, dance as Bad Bunny impersonators crowd Mission neighbourhood

More than 30 contestants from across the Bay Area took part, competing for a $100 prize. The line-up included men with tight curls and trimmed beards, women sporting wigs and painted-on facial hair, and even a kindergartener dressed in a fedora, white vest and bow tie. Each channelled different versions of Bad Bunny’s distinctive style, from straw hats known as the “pava”, traditionally worn by Puerto Rican farmers, to a shearling aviator hat associated with the artist’s recent looks.

Some contestants drew inspiration from Bad Bunny’s 2025 Grammy-winning album Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, translating to “I should have taken more photos”, which blends Latin trap and reggaeton with rhythms such as salsa and merengue. The album won album of the year earlier this week, adding to the buzz surrounding the contest.

Adam Fox, 24, travelled from Belmont with his friend Alejandro Kurt after repeatedly being told they resemble the singer. Fox, an aspiring actor dressed in a suit, bow tie and dark sunglasses, said he connects with the music even without understanding Spanish. “It’s like art,” he said. “You don’t have to fully understand it for it to be beautiful.”

Inside the restaurant, contestants danced, mimicked Bad Bunny’s signature perreo moves and posed for photographs as the crowd roared its approval. Outside, a DJ played the artist’s best-known tracks while people in playful costumes, including outfits inspired by the Puerto Rican crested toad featured in one of his music videos, danced alongside the impersonators.

Pamela Guo, 33, travelled from San Jose wearing an aviator hat, athletic jacket and a painted beard. A devoted fan, she said she had even travelled to Mexico City to see Bad Bunny perform live. “I love dancing, but I also connect with the deeper lyrics in his recent work,” she said.

The grand prize was awarded to Abdul Ramirez Arroyave, a professional Bad Bunny impersonator from Colombia, who wore a red shirt, straw hat and curly wig. After briefly thanking the crowd, he broke into song as fans joined him in singing Debi tirar mas fotos, before stepping outside to take photos with admirers late into the evening.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.