Have you ever wanted to live one night as royalty? Perhaps you can, at “The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience.” The Netflix serial smash hit “Bridgerton” has captivated audiences since 2020 with its diverse cast, never-ending scandals, and dazzling wardrobes. Now, the new “Bridgerton” themed immersive event lets visitors dress in their best Regency-era outfits and be transported back to the early 19th century. “City Lights” producer Summer Evans went to “The Queen’s Ball” in Pullman Yards and returned with an audio postcard documenting her experience.
Based on the Regency-era romance novels by Julie Quinn, “Bridgerton” follows the love stories of a group of siblings in the family Bridgerton. At “The Queen’s Ball,” lavish balls and extravagant pageantry are re-enacted by visitors, who are encouraged to dress in their finest Regency garb. Tiaras, feather fans and diamond necklaces can be purchased at the event entrance after a passage through a wisteria-laden tunnel awash in the serene sounds of an English garden.
Though attendees are encouraged to dress however they feel comfortable, many go all-out in period formalwear and roleplay. Evans met a guest, Emily Armstrong, who saw the occasion as a chance to finally wear her prom dress, which had to sit unworn in a closet after a COVID-canceled prom. For her date to the ball, she brought another enthusiastic fan and reveler — her mom, Sarah Armstrong.
Along with enjoying craft cocktails and mocktails, elaborately attired guests can pose for a digitally painted portrait. Throughout the space, original costumes from past seasons of “Bridgerton,” crafted by the show’s fictional modiste Genevieve Delacroix, radiate in their displays. The preliminary festivities culminate in the arrival of the Queen, announced via loudspeaker. Attendees may line up and present themselves in bows and curtsies to Her Royal Majesty, and a guest with particular poise might aspire to be named the Queen’s “diamond of the evening.” Afterward, dancing ensues, with lessons in waltzing and other line dances before a more contemporary party breaks out on the dancefloor.
“The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience” runs through Sept. 18 at Pullman Yards. Tickets and more information are available at bridgertonexperience.com/atlanta.
