August 6, 2024
Romance Reigns as 75 Cities Worldwide Host Legendary Pop-Up Culinary Events
One of the Most Anticipated Social Gatherings of the Year
Le Dîner en Blanc Returns to New York on Thursday, September 26th with Over 4000 Diners on the Streets of NYC!
The legendary French-inspired urban picnic Le Dîner en Blanc has become THE culinary event of the year in cities worldwide, bringing food lovers, cultural enthusiasts, and fashionistas dressed all in white together at a secret locale. The event has become a worldwide phenomenon, and this year over 75 cities in 16 countries will host Le Dîner en Blanc; in the U.S., the event will take place in 42 cities.
On Thursday, September 26th, 2024, Le Dîner en Blanc returns to New York, the city that jumpstarted the international sensation. Thousands of people dressed in elegant white will gather at an iconic undisclosed location for a one-night celebration of food, wine, and friendship.
With Dîner en Blanc International’s visionary Co-Founder and President Sandy Safi at the helm, building and overseeing an ever-expanding global network, the chic pop-up dinner has become a beloved tradition across 6 continents, with each location injecting its own unique culture and culinary voice. There are nearly two million fans on lists worldwide, hoping to attend events that frequently sell out in a matter of days.
In 2023, Le Dîner en Blanc made history, taking over the streets of New York’s landmark Meatpacking District, an area at the nexus of fashion, trendy clubs, restaurants, shops, and creative industries. While prior locations have included iconic sites like Lincoln Center, Brookfield Place, and Bryant Park, these spots were created solely for pedestrians. Setting a precedent for the city, the over-the-top feast occurred on the fabled cobblestone streets of the Meatpacking District, where 3800 attendees dined, danced, and celebrated against a stunning backdrop of ornate cast-iron street lights and historic brick buildings.
The locale also showcased the city’s efforts to rethink and transform its utilization of NYC streets and take advantage of its unique urban landscape. This was the first-of-its-kind collaboration with the Meatpacking District Management Association, and New York City’s mayor Eric Adams marked the occasion by stopping by and donning a spiffy white outfit to show his support.
“The night was simply extraordinary,” says Safi. “It was a privilege to work with the city and set a precedent by holding the event in the heart of the historic Meat Packing District. I believe we also caught attendees off guard as they were not expecting to experience the transformation of the famed streets into an event location for the evening. Doing this allowed the local community to take back a piece of the city for a few hours and enjoy it as a communal space. It also supported local businesses by giving them increased visibility—we collaborated with local restaurants and hotels onsite. Music, art, fashion, and food are at the heart of the event, and we look forward to bringing our special magic and “joie de vivre’ to the September event!”
Every year in cities worldwide, thousands of people dressed entirely in white descend on a landmark public space with everything they need for an elegant soirée in tow, including gourmet picnic food, fine china, silverware, tablecloth, and folding table and chairs. Guests first gather at specific rallying points and, guided by local volunteers, they travel by foot or by other organized means of transportation to the secret location, which remains a secret until the moment they arrive, creating an air of mystery and excitement.
Throughout the evening, the guests eat, converse, reconnect with friends, and celebrate their city’s beauty amid live music and dancing. Many guests spend weeks planning their menus, dining on specially curated meals such as lobster, poached salmon with crème fraiche, beef tenderloin with horseradish cream, and chilled gazpacho. The elaborate table settings include miniature carousels with white cupcakes, white doves in aviaries, elaborate white flower arrangements and enormous candelabras.
And the fashion – Ooh La La!! Our guests often spend weeks curating their fabulously creative all-white ensembles: exquisite, embellished hats, tailored suits, evening-ready shorts, gorgeous dresses, tuxedos and top hats, Marie Antoinette wigs, elaborate white headpieces and so much more.
The signature moment of the event is without a doubt the waving of thousands of cloth napkins to mark the beginning of the dinner. At the end of the night when the time comes to say Au revoir, guests pack up their crystal, dinnerware, and tables, pick up all their litter, and head into the night, leaving behind no sign of their elegant revelry.
People who would like to be part of this year's very special night can sign up for the new Fan list/Phase 3 at newyork.dinerenblanc.com and then click on ‘Attend Diner en Blanc' for a chance to register when tickets go on sale.
To maintain the uniqueness of Le Diner en Blanc, every guest has a part to play and observes certain requirements such as:
• Dress code: head-to-toe in white only. Elegance and Originality are key!
• Table setting: all white!
• French-influenced event only wine and/or Champagne are served.
o As per New York alcohol regulations, guests cannot bring their own alcohol. Guests wishing to enjoy some wine or Champagne must reserve online through Le Diner en Blanc’s e-store.
• To ensure that the secret location is kept undisclosed until the last minute, guests meet at assigned departure locations throughout the city and are escorted by a Diner en Blanc volunteer.
• So, the event location is left as clean as when guests arrived, they are required to leave with all their belongings, leftovers, and litter.
Guests are to bring:
• A table, two white chairs, white tablecloth.
• A picnic basket comprising fine food and proper stemware and white dinnerware.
o A catered picnic basket option, which can be picked up on site, will be available for those who do not wish to pack their own. Guests wishing to do so must reserve online through Le Diner en Blanc’s e-store.
• Their own non-alcoholic beverages.
About Le Diner en Blanc
Le Diner en Blanc is so much more than an event. It’s a unique cultural movement that empowers friends of friends to gather and celebrate their shared passions for life, food, fashion, and community, year after year, with a pinch of mystery and a large serving of spontaneity. Elegantly dressed all in white, guests arrive at a secret location for a chic picnic en masse. They bring their own tables, chairs, picnic baskets—all the trimmings—to sit down with friends and make new connections in one of their city’s most beautiful public spaces. The location remains secret up until the very moment of arrival. Over the course of the evening, guests from all backgrounds eat, dance, and reconnect with the finer things in life, as they appreciate the night’s magical experience.
To this day, over 120 cities in 40 countries have joined the ever-growing and international network to celebrate gourmet cuisine, offer extraordinary entertainment, and bring together vibrant individuals and bon vivants around the world. While Diner en Blanc International is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, every event in every city is hosted by passionate local organizers who fell in love with the original Parisian concept and wanted to bring it home and dress it up with local flair.
For more info, photos, and videos of Le Diner en Blanc events from around the world, visit dinerenblanc.com
To keep up to date on event announcements, visit newyork.dinerenblanc.com or
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Video credit: Le Diner En Blanc
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