‘It was absolutely HORRENDOUS’: Detroit’s ‘Bridgerton Ball’ declared a complete bust
Okay, at this point, we have to ask—how are people getting away with these god-awful events? First Willy Wonka, and now this! Bridgerton fans were flummoxed after an event themed after the hit Netflix period drama left them feeling like they’d been scammed out of hundreds of dollars.
When it was announced that there would be a Bridgerton-themed ball in Michigan, fans of the show were delighted at the chance to dress up and potentially be crowned the diamond of the season. That delight soon turned to anger and confusion upon arrival when guests found themselves at what looked like a low-budget high school dance, only this one came with a stripper/pole dancer.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the event management company Uncle and Me LLC’s site had billed the event as a chance for fans to “step into the enchanting world of the Regency-era … for an evening of sophistication, grace, and historical charm.” The site has since been taken down. Tickets had been sold from $150 to $1000, leaving many feeling like they had been scammed upon entering and seeing the level of disorganization and threadbare nature of the event. Many took to Reddit to complain about their experience, with one OP writing:
“My family and I just left the Detroit Bridgerton Ball. It was absolutely HORRENDOUS. There was nowhere to sit. Although the venue was nice, the decor was sparse and extremely tacky. It wasn’t even Bridgerton-themed! We spent $400 on tickets for a complete b*s experience! I read that the event company made hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue for this event.”
According to reports, guests claim there was no one checking tickets, that no direction was being given, and they simply followed the crowd before arriving and finding local food vendors selling goods like a scene from a festival. Pictures of the disastrous event, which is now being compared to the Willy Wonka fiasco held in Scotland earlier this year, have been circulating social media, showing just how underwhelming and tacky the experience truly was.
One guest took to social media to share their experience in a long thread, posting accompanying pictures to prove just how bad things were.
The images show guests sitting on the floor due to a lack of chairs and being served food from vendors wearing jerseys. They posted one video of the “entertainment” which was simply a pole dancer dancing to a single violinist. You can hear one person comment on the video “I don’t remember this in Bridgerton,” while laughing.
The local news outlet, WXYZ Detroit, appears to have covered the disaster in progress, interviewing guests as they left the event. Guests stated they were disappointed and angry, with many asking for their money back. The event company, Uncle and Me LLC released a statement to the channel regarding the event.
“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. 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 … We are reviewing resolution options, which will be communicated shortly. Your understanding and loyalty mean the world to us, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to make this right.”
The event was not connected to Netflix or its event ‘The Queens Ball: A Bridgerton Experience,” which has made its way around North America. Netflix has not commented on the matter.
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