The Bridgerton Ball experience in Michigan turned out to be a disaster.
Photos on social media (below) are going viral for an event on Sunday that organizers billed as a chance for fans to “enter the enchanting world of the Regency era… for an evening of sophistication, grace and historic charm.”
The reality, some attendees say, was a disorganized, stripped-down affair that left costumed attendees sitting on the floor amid Kit Kat vendors and watching a stripper who had been hired to provide the evening's entertainment. The event is drawing comparisons to the infamous (and unofficial) Willy Wonka Experience that made global headlines in March.
According to local station WBCK, the ball was not an official Netflix event. The streamer has a traveling event called The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience. According to the event's sparse, two-page website, it was the “Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball.” Tickets ranged from $150 to $1,000.
“The way it was described was that this was going to be [a] Bridgerton Bridge event and we would have classical music, a nice dinner, and there would be a comedy show, and they would pick out the diamonds of the season,” one attendee said in a report from local ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV. “They would give out all these awards. And we walked in, and it was completely empty in there.”
“It was total chaos,” another said in the report. “They didn’t even scan our tickets. We paid for dinner and there were random people all over the place.”
“My family and I just left the Detroit Bridgerton Ball,” wrote one attendee on Reddit, who posted several photos. “It was absolutely HORRIBLE. There was nowhere to sit. While the venue was nice, the decor was sparse and extremely tacky. It wasn't even Bridgerton themed! We paid $400 for tickets for a complete b*S experience!”
“On top of the uninspiring event itself, they promised a cash prize for best dressed (which didn’t happen), that they would choose the season’s diamond like they do on the show/at other Bridgerton-inspired balls (which didn’t happen), and provided an itinerary with conflicting information,” another user wrote on Twitter.
“No one asked us for tickets, so we just walked in,” another wrote on Reddit. “Everyone in attendance looked completely dolled up, but there was no indication whatsoever. We basically followed the crowd to the third floor, where we saw FUCKING LOCAL VENDORS selling goods like we were at a local festival… After seeing people sitting on the floor looking disappointed, my wife and I left.”
The Detroit Ball Bridgerton
Savings_Sprinkles698/Reddit
Event organizer Uncle N Me LLC released this statement to WXYZ on Tuesday: “We know that not everyone had the experience they were hoping for at our last event Sunday night at The Harmonie Club, and for that we sincerely apologize. Our intention was to provide a magical evening, but we recognize that organizational challenges impacted the enjoyment of some guests. We take full responsibility and liability 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 we can to resolve this situation.”
The Detroit Ball Bridgerton
Savings_Sprinkles698/Reddit
Netflix, while not directly involved in the event, has not released a statement.