People are very upset about the flopped Bridgerton experience in Detroit, and honestly, it’s giving major Fyre Fest and Tanacon vibes — just with a Regency flair.
Picture this: mega stans of Netflix’s Bridgerton, decked out in their finest gowns and tailcoats, ready to waltz into what was promised to be an enchanting evening of sophistication. Instead, they found themselves in a chaotic scene that would give the Lady Whistledown much to gossip about.
The official Bridgerton experience, known as “The Queen’s Ball”, is brought to you by Netflix. The ball travels around the world, offering fans an immersive evening filled with elegance and charm. We’re talking themed drinks, bar tenders staying in character throughout the night, and even beautifully designed dance cards handed out to guests to wear all night.
As someone who’s been lucky enough to attend one of these events, the attention to detail is bonkers — every aspect is crafted to transport you straight into the Regency era. But this Detroit event? Not so much.
Organised by a company called Uncle N Me LLC, attendees forked out between $150 and $1,000 for tickets to the event. The Detroit Bridgerton Ball website described the event as a chance to “step into the enchanting world of the Regency era” for a night filled with music, dance, and exquisite costumes. What guests got instead was a venue that looked like it had been decorated by someone who just discovered the DIY side of TikTok.
Reports describe shabby plastic decor, food AKA “raw chicken” that ran out in an hour, and a pole dancer right in the middle of the dance floor. Don’t get me wrong, I will forever be in awe of anyone who has the core strength to be a pole performer, but I’m just not sure what it has to do with Bridgerton.
“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,” said one Reddit user.
TikToker Nita took to her account to share her experience of the night. “As soon as I get up the stairs, I’m like, we’re not watching the same Bridgerton show,” she said.
“They didn’t even put the main violinist that was the most on theme, in the main ballroom. They put her on the second floor where people were just roaming, sitting on the floor.”
In response to the backlash, the organisers released a statement acknowledging the chaos. “Dearest Gentle Readers, we understand that not everyone had the experience they anticipated…
“Our goal was to create a magical evening, but we recognise that organisational challenges and unforeseen changes, including a last-minute venue and date change, impacted the experience for some guests.
“Unfortunately, some nonrefundable deposits from the original bookings resulted in losses on our end, which added to the challenges. Nonetheless, we take full responsibility for these shortcomings.”
They went on to express gratitude for attendees’ understanding while promising to address concerns.
There’s been no word from Netflix or the official Bridgerton experience yet, but I can’t imagine they’d be too pleased with a random company using their brand and very badly it seems.
The Queen would not be pleased!
Lead image: @moreofnita/TikTok
