CHICAGO (WLS) — Anticipation is soaring as fans eagerly await Bad Bunny’s highly anticipated Super Bowl halftime show performance.
Across the Chicago area, from bustling businesses to cultural institutions, both Puerto Rican communities and others are enthusiastically gearing up to celebrate this landmark occasion in unique and imaginative ways.
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Orlando Zapata, the manager at Galería Chicago, a vibrant nightclub located in the Gold Coast neighborhood, expressed the excitement surrounding Bad Bunny’s journey. “When he started making music, he was a bag boy, and now you know he won a Grammy for the number one album,” Zapata remarked. “He’s doing a lot of iconic things.”
In tribute to Bad Bunny’s success and cultural impact, Galería Chicago has constructed a faithful replica of the artist’s “Casita,” or “little house,” which has featured prominently in his recent tour. This creative venture was initiated by Acro Presents, a promotional group collaborating with the club, and has resonated deeply with fans.
“Last weekend marked our second weekend with the installation,” Zapata shared. “We welcomed approximately 1,500 guests through our doors, and the line stretched around the block.”
In related news, Bad Bunny has announced his intention to bring his vibrant culture to his 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance, promising an unforgettable show.
Also joining in on the fun is Brew Brew Coffee and Tea near Logan Square. They launched the “Benito Latte,” inspired by traditional Puerto Rican flavors.
It’s a message to celebrate, but it’s also a message that make you reflect, it makes you think, it makes you angry, it makes you cry.
Billy Ocasio, National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture CEO
“It’s a coquito latte,” Brew Brew Coffee & Tea barista Evan Alicea-Guivas said. “I can’t give out the recipe, everyone does it different, so it is going to be that with three shots of espresso on top.”
However, the buzz over Bad Bunny goes deeper. His songs dive into complex matters, like the struggles and inequalities in Puerto Rico, said Billy Ocasio, the CEO of Chicago’s National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture in Humboldt Park.
“It’s a message to celebrate, but it’s also a message that make you reflect, it makes you think, it makes you angry, it makes you cry,” Ocasio said. “It’s a message that resonates with everything that’s going on in the world today.”
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The songs break language barriers and touch on love, loss and grief.
“I think right now especially for a lot of Latin people they want to be seen and want to be heard,” Alicea-Guivas said. “And for him to be on one of the world’s biggest stages. You can’t get more seen and heard than that.”
With Bad Bunny still being so young, some people say what we are seeing now is just the beginning, and they can’t wait to see what he was in store in the future.
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