Netflix’s Bridgerton has become a phenomenon since it’s 2020 peak-of-the-pandemic debut, spawning many non-sponsored, Regency era-themed events and screenings around the world. The latest was held in Detroit and saw attendees pay large sums to don Regency garb and party like the show’s corseted cast of characters. Unfortunately, attendees said the event was not as glamorous as its source material — they called the event a poorly organized mess on social media and shared their receipts.
What was the Bridgerton-themed ball in Detroit?
The event, titled “Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball,” was supposed to be held on Aug. 25, but was rescheduled to Sunday night due to a venue issue, local ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV reported. It promised ticket buyers the opportunity to “step into the enchanting world of the Regency-era … for an evening of sophistication, grace and historical charm,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. In reality, attendees were forced to sit on the floor as vendors sold them Kit Kats and a stripper entertained the crowd. The event was compared to the infamous Willy Wonka Experience in Scotland that made headlines back in February, per THR.
Attendees shared pictures and videos to support their claims that the event was less than desirable. According to Detroit’s 95.3 WBCK, the ball is not part of The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience, a touring event affiliated with the show. The Detroit ball’s website notes tickets were from $150 to $1,000.
What did the attendees say about the experience?
“The way that it was described was this was going to be a Bridgerton evening. We were gonna have classical music, good dinner. There was gonna be a play and they were gonna pick Diamond of the season,” an attendee said, according to WXYZ-TV. “They were gonna give away all of these prizes and we went in and it was completely empty in there.”
Another told WXYZ-TV, “It was complete chaos today. They never even scanned our tickets. Then there were random people that we had paid to eat dinner and there were random people all throughout the venue.” The entertainment also appeared to be a pole dancer.
Other attendees wrote on social media that the food was raw and ran out quickly and alleged that many other aspects of the programming were neglected, including the best dressed competition to determine the event’s “Diamond” (a major plot point in Bridgerton).
Uncle N Me LLC, the ball’s organizer, issued a statement on Tuesday to WXYZ to address the backlash.
“We understand that not everyone had the experience they hoped for at our most recent event Sunday night at The Harmonie Club, and for that, we sincerely apologize,” he said. “Our intention was to provide a magical evening, but we recognize that organizational challenges affected the enjoyment of some guests. We take full responsibility and accountability for these shortcomings. Please know that we are working diligently to address all concerns to ensure that all guests have the enjoyable experience they deserve. … we are committed to doing everything in our power to make this right.”
