A Bridgerton-themed ball held at Detroit’s Harmonie Club on Sunday turned into a massive disappointment, with many attendees calling it a scam.
The event, based on the hit Netflix TV show, was organized by Uncle & Me Event Management and left guests frustrated with allegations of poor organization, minimal staff, nowhere to sit, and vendors selling little more than Kit Kats. Attendees were especially shocked when the night’s entertainment turned out to be a single stripper, which was far from the Regency-era theme they had expected.
“My family and I just left the Detroit Bridgerton Ball. It was absolutely HORRENDOUS,” one Redditor posted. “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.”
Tickets for the event ranged from $150 to $1000, yet many guests reported that no one even checked tickets at the door. The event has been compared to a similarly disastrous Willy Wonka-themed experience in the U.K., another overhyped event that failed to deliver.
Another Redditor dubbed the local event the “Detroit Scammerton Ball” and also shared their disbelief: “Can you imagine walking into a Bridgerton-themed ball with a STRIPPER as entertainment? All seats were taken, even if you purchased a VIP ticket, you had nowhere to sit. Dinner was disgusting. Alcohol was supposed to be included… take a wild guess, no alcohol.”
Frustrated guests, some of whom had spent hundreds or more on tickets and attire, echoed these sentiments across social media threads. Many described the event as overcrowded, with few staff members present to manage the chaos.
Netflix has hosted an official Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience event. This, however, was not that. Not even close.
This version of the Bridgerton Ball, rescheduled from its original August date and moved from Castle Hall to the Harmonie Club, appears to have fallen short on every promise.
A thread on X revealed even more, stating that the company lied saying the original venue wouldn’t accommodate their guests, while a Castle Hall employee says the venue had to cancel because the organizers did not pay the remaining money of their rent.
Thread about the Bridgerton Ball SCAM in Detroit that I (and hundreds of others) spent $300 on pic.twitter.com/EUgX482w8j
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
Guests were also disappointed when there was no “diamond of the season” or cash prize for the best-dressed attendee, both of which had been promised in the promotional material.
Now, attendees are desperately hoping for refunds and accountability.
Metro Times reached out to Uncle & Me Event Management for comment, but an email sent to the address provided at detroitbridgertonball.com bounced back as undeliverable.
