Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

In a blur of sparkles and blonde blowouts, the sound of clinking martini glasses and bustling laughter filled XO Taco on Wednesday night as five Sabrina Carpenter lookalikes in glamorous costumes gathered in the restaurant.

“I’ve got sparkles, I’ve got outfits. What do you need?” contestant Isabella Ehresman said.

XO Taco hosted a Sabrina Carpenter lookalike contest for students and locals. A photo of each of the five competitors was posted on the Mexican restaurant’s Instagram story, and the story with the most likes will be crowned the winner and given a gift bag of pink goodies.

Danielle Downie, XO Taco’s director of catering and marketing, organized this event. She said the idea came from her love for Carpenter; she often listens to “Man’s Best Friend” while she works. She said she wanted the event to attract Syracuse University students to the restaurant.

To advertise the event, Downie placed signs on Marshall Street in hopes of drawing in SU students. This was different from the restaurant’s usual advertising methods, she said.

“I just got tasked with trying to merge clientele and fun stuff to do for Halloween, and I pitched Sabrina Carpenter Night, and it went all out,” Downie said.

All the contestants had Carpenter’s signature blonde blowout. Contestant Alex York said she often gets compared to the singer and winning the contest would “prove a lot of (her) friends right,” she said.

Bridget Backer, an SU senior, dressed in a green sequined mini dress and black boots to compete on Wednesday night. She said there’ve been many local celebrity look-alike contests, something she appreciates as a music industry student.

“I think just bringing this to singers and celebrities that are in the music industry, it really helps with marketing toward the music industry as well, and I think it’s a really great way of promoting that for us,” Backer said.

Backer chose to participate in the contest to add another activity to a list of new experiences.

“I usually call myself a side quest-aholic,” Backer said. “I love going on a side quest. I saw this and I was like, ‘I have to do it.’ If I put my mind towards things, I’m going to do it.”

The event also fostered an environment where contestants could let loose and have fun, Ehresman, an SU graduate student, said. She enjoyed chatting with her friends over drinks, especially during the festive time of Halloween.

XO Taco played Sabrina Carpenter’s popular songs, adding to the fun, playful ambiance of the contest. Cassie Roshu | Senior Staff Photographer

Ehresman said she’s been a fan of Carpenter since her “Girl Meets World” days and would’ve loved more throwback songs. Her costume included a baby blue mini dress with a robe over it, inspired by her song “House Tour.”

Paige Arcuri, a Syracuse local, had never been to XO Taco before Wednesday and appreciated the restaurant’s atmosphere. She decided to participate in the contest because she’s a big fan of Carpenter, she said, and wanted to show off the merchandise she bought at the “Short n’ Sweet Tour.”

“Honestly, I didn’t come here expecting to win a competition, but if I did, it would probably mean more to me than it should,” Arcuri said.

Claire Kaufmann, an employee who helped organize the contest, said she hopes these events will foster connection among those who attend.

“As a company, we’re always preaching hospitality, bringing people together. And I hope that it comes across in everything that we’re doing,” Kaufmann said.

Downie said she exercised her creativity in hosting the event, something she’s enjoyed in her role. She’s been excited to experiment with her creativity in planning this event, ensuring the other staff were heavily involved in the process.

Downie hopes the response from attendees is positive and that it gives her room to plan more events in the future. She’s already planned more events for later in the year, hoping to keep the hospitality and positive environment of the restaurant.

“I hope out of this event and other contestants, they can see that we can throw a party,” Downie said. “We want people to come, we want people to enjoy, (we) want to keep making new drinks and new food items.”

Published on October 30, 2025 at 12:41 am