The ‘Bridgerton’ Ball Scam Leaves Fans Angry: What Happened During the Uncle & Me, LLC Event?

It’s a bad day to be a Bridgerton superfan. A Bridgerton Ball event in Detroit, Michigan, has gone viral for all the wrong reasons after attendees deemed it a scam – with some even comparing it to Willy’s Chocolate Experience in Scotland.

What Was the ‘Bridgerton’ Ball Event?

Uncle & Me, LLC, was the organization behind the event. While it was originally scheduled to occur in August 2024, the event was canceled and rescheduled for September 22, 2024. Organizers promised fans a chance to “step into the enchanting world of the Regency-era … for an evening of sophistication, grace and historical charm.”

“Come enjoy our Bridgerton Themed ball with prizes, giveaways and more. You’ll also get the chance to win the ‘Diamond of The Season.’ Suitors in attendance will have a chance to win $2,000 cash for best dressed. All tickets will be honored if you had purchased a ticket prior to date change. Your [sic] welcome to sell your ticket as well if you cannot be in attendance,” read the description on Uncle & Me’s website.

The event was not officially licensed by Netflix, but it appeared that Uncle & Me tried to replicate the streamer’s Bridgerton Experience known as “The Queen’s Ball.”

What Happened at the ‘Bridgerton’ Ball Event?

Those who attended said that Bridgerton Ball came nowhere near what it promised. Pictures of the ball showed superfans dressed in Bridgerton-themed costumes sitting on the floor while scrolling their phones, a photo area with “Party City/Dollar General level” decorations and no staff to help clean up dirty plates left on tables by other partygoers.

One internet user posted a video of the evening’s entertainment that showed a scantily clad woman dressed in a red bikini twirling around a metal pole.

“The ‘dancing’ they had was ONE. STRIPPER,” the X user wrote alongside the video.

“Besides the lackluster event itself, they promised a cash prize to the best dressed (didn’t happen), that they’d choose a diamond of the season like they do in the show/other Bridgerton inspired balls (didn’t happen), and had an itinerary with contradicting information,” the woman continued.

She also said that she “ended up getting sick” and couldn’t attend the event, yet the company had yet to respond to any of her emails asking for a refund.

Other attendees were just as disappointed with the Bridgerton Ball.

“The way it was described was this would be [a] Bridgerton event and we were going to have classical music, a good dinner, and there was going to be a play, and they were going to pick diamonds [of] the season,” a fan told ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV. “They were going to give away all of these prizes. And we went in, and it’s completely empty in there.”

Another person described the night as “complete chaos,” and said, “They never even scanned our tickets. We paid to eat dinner, and there were random people all throughout the venue.”

Social Media Users Compare ‘Bridgerton’ Ball Scam to Willy Wonka Experience

It didn’t take long for fans to compare the Bridgerton Ball mess to the Willy’s Chocolate Experience that occurred in March 2024 in Scotland.

“Sorry Willy Wonka Glasgow Oompa Loompa – Detroit’s single Bridgerton stripper has arrived,” joked one X user.

Another chimed in and added, “Reading about the Bridgerton Ball scam and glad the heat is off Glasgow and the Willy Wonka experience.”

A third person wrote, “Not sure if people have already pointed you to this but it looks like Detroit got a Bridgerton version of that Willy Wonka experience.”

Uncle & Me Apologized to Fans in a Statement

An employee of Uncle & Me apologized on behalf of the company in a statement released to WXYZ on September 24, 2024.

“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,” the statement read. “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. Please know that we are working diligently to address all concerns to ensure that all guests have the enjoyable experience they deserve …we are committed to doing everything in our power to make this right.”