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New York’s unofficial streak of lookalike contests is continuing this month and this time the inspiration is one of the city’s most enduring icons: John F. Kennedy Jr.
On Saturday, March 15, a second JFK Jr. lookalike contest will take over the West Village nightlife venue The Parkgate, promising a nostalgic night inspired by the 1990s-era Manhattan social scene that Kennedy himself helped define.
Hosted by event organizer Isabel Perez and The Parkgate's owner, Ciaran Harrison, the contest is designed to be part tribute, part singles mixer and part throwback party, all banking on the popularity of Ryan Murphy's new limited series Love Story, about the JFK Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. The goal, according to organizers, is to recreate the kind of social energy the city once thrived on, before dating apps and smartphones became the default way to meet people.
Expect contestants channeling Kennedy’s signature look—think clean-cut prep, easy confidence and maybe a pair of aviators. The evening will feature a live DJ set by Jenny Boo, with a panel of judges evaluating contestants and crowning the top three. (The top contestant will take home the night’s to-be-announced grand prize, of course.)
Adding a modern dating-world twist, Bumble has signed on as an official sponsor and Amelia Orlando, a member of Bumble’s team, will sit on the judging panel as the competition’s third judge.
For anyone unfamiliar with the inspiration, Kennedy was one of the most recognizable public figures of 1990s New York. The son of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, he grew up in the public eye before building his own career as a lawyer, journalist and founder of the glossy political magazine George in 1995.
But beyond his resumé, Kennedy became something of a cultural symbol for the city: handsome, well-connected and seemingly everywhere in Manhattan society. People magazine even named him “Sexiest Man Alive” in 1988, cementing his reputation as one of the era’s most famous bachelors before he married fashion publicist Bessette in 1996.
His life (and the intense media attention that surrounded it) ended tragically in 1999 when the small plane he was piloting crashed off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.
The upcoming contest isn’t meant to be solemn, though. Instead, organizers say the night is about celebrating the nostalgic charisma Kennedy embodied while creating a space where New Yorkers can actually meet face-to-face again. Or, as the city seems increasingly fond of doing lately, it’s another excuse to throw a themed party built around a very specific celebrity look.
Contestants and spectators can RSVP online ahead of the event. Just remember: the hair helps, but confidence might matter even more.