Guests at a “Bridgerton”-themed ball in Detroit were left angry and upset after spending hundreds of dollars on tickets for the event, which they say failed to live up to promoters’ promises.
The ball, which took place at the Harmonie Club in downtown Detroit, was initially scheduled for August 25 but was postponed days before and moved to a new venue for September 22.
Social media posts promoting the event invited guests to “immerse yourself in the grandeur of the Regency era” and “waltz the night away amidst stunning decor inspired by the hit series.”
Attendees would enjoy an “unforgettable evening of glamour and romance,” an Instagram post from promoter Uncle & Me said.
The reality of the event, however, was much less impressive, guests told local media, and posted on social media.
Attendees told 7 News Detroit, an ABC affiliate, that the venue was sparsely decorated, undercooked food was served, and people without tickets got in.
“It was complete chaos,” attendee Charming Amecia Fuller-Ragland told 7 News.
“They never even scanned our tickets. Then there were random people that we had paid to eat dinner, and there were random people all throughout the venue,” she said.
“It’s heartbreaking,” guest Amanda Sue Mathis told 7 News outside the venue. “We got a limo for this, did all these things, and, basically, got an empty building.”
Guests also said that the entertainment provided at the venue included an exotic dancer. A video seemingly from inside the event shows a woman dancing on a pole to orchestral music. In the background, a voice can be heard saying: “I don’t remember this being in Bridgerton.”
“There is nothing going on. They have a pole in the middle of the dance floor. A stripper pole in the middle of the dance floor,” Mathis said.
In a nine-minute video, one TikToker who said she attended the event said the decor in the venue looked like it could have come from a dollar store, and there was so little entertainment that people sat on the floor scrolling on their phones.
Guests and online posters quickly compared the event to other events that have become infamous for their poor organization, such as the Fyre Festival and the Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow, UK.
“It felt like Fyre Fest,” one attendee said in a message shared by 7News.
Exact ticket prices for the event are unclear, but several guests said they spent hundreds of dollars on admission, and many are now asking for refunds.
“I think we should absolutely get refunds,” Cameron Morey, a guest who spoke to 7 News, said.
As of Wednesday morning, Uncle & Me LLC appeared to have disabled comments on its social media channels. Its website displayed a 404 error when Business Insider attempted to visit the page although a sparse website for the event was still online.
Uncle & Me LLC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, sent outside regular working hours.
In a statement provided to 7 News, the company said: “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.”
The statement added that the company, described as “family owned” on its Instagram profile, was exploring “resolution options” for guests and was “committed to doing everything in our power to make this right.”
In a statement to 7 News, Harmonie Club said it is in “no way affiliated with the promoters and/or organizations that rent our venue.”
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