Band Took Deposit and Ghosted Us Before Our Wedding

Hi all, I’m looking for legal advice regarding a band I hired for my upcoming wedding on July 19th in Illinois.

We hired Mariachi Herencia de Mexico, a group based in Chicago, and paid them a deposit to perform at our wedding. They initially responded and confirmed the booking, but have since completely stopped communicating. Despite repeated follow-ups via email and phone, I’ve received no response for weeks, and we’re now just two weeks out from the wedding. At this point, it seems likely they have no intention of performing.

I’ve also discovered several reviews on Yelp describing nearly identical experiences with this band: people paying deposits, getting ghosted, and never receiving refunds.

Here are my questions:
1. Is this considered a breach of contract or something more (like fraud)?
2. What legal steps can I take to recover my deposit, ideally before or shortly after the wedding?
3. Would this qualify for small claims court in Illinois?

I want to make sure this doesn’t happen to others and would appreciate any guidance on next steps.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Location: Chicago, IL