Living the Regency Romance Dream at ‘The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience’
Dearest gentle readers, are you longing for an escape from the dreariness of daily life? Has binge-watching the second season of Bridgerton left you bemoaning the lack of chivalry and horniness in your daily routine? Do you dream of living out your Jane Austen regency romance cosplay fantasy? Then you must hasten to your nearest city and pay a visit to ‘The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience.’
A collaboration between Fever and Netflix, the Queen’s Ball offers an immersive experience with interactive Instagram stops, Madame Delacroix’s modiste, and a bar serving fancy cocktails. As a Bridgerton fan, I knew I had to check out the event when it came to my hometown of Los Angeles, so I picked up my affordable and highly flammable dress from Party City and hightailed it downtown to the Millennium Biltmore Hotel (I also received comped tickets from the good folks at Netflix).
The first thing that struck me was that everyone attending came to play. While costumes are encouraged but not required, I didn’t see a single person in casual wear. Everyone was dressed to the nines, and while not everyone was in period costume, it was formal wear as far as the eye could see. After two years of pandemic isolation, it was a treat to be out at a fancy location, dressed up alongside my fellow enthusiastic attendees. Spirits were high, and the vibes were strong.
After a series of photo ops and walk throughs, you enter the grand ballroom for the main event. There, you are treated to live music from a talented pair of violinists who perform pop music in a classical style (a Bridgerton signature). There’s an acrobatic dance performance, a visit from the queen, and and plenty of dancing for the guests. The queen also selects the diamond of the evening in a fun nod to the series itself. Is the Queen’s Ball a historically accurate reenactment of the Regency era? Of course not, but neither is the series itself. The experience offers peak Girl’s Night Out energy, and the halls were flooded by groups of women, friends, and relatives, all reveling in their Bridgerton fantasy.
If there’s one complaint to be had about the experience, it’s the limited time you have to explore the venue. A Bridgerton Experience operates on a tight 90-minute timeline, and once the performance begins, attendees cannot go back and revisit the rest of the exhibits. Depending on how crowded the event is, you’re unlikely to hit every location and photo op before the doors close. And it’s a shame, because I would have liked to linger over the costume displays, the sets, and the atmosphere. Still there’s much fun to be had in an evening at the Bridgerton Experience, and if the show hits your town I highly recommend it. Life can be such a grind, and we all deserve to have some fun, don’t we?
The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience is currently available in Los Angeles, Chicago, Montréal, and Washington, DC.
(featured image: Federico Imperiale/Netflix’s The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience)
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