An intimate French inspired picnic with guests all dressed in white meeting at a secret location for an evening of dining, music and dancing is the Le Dîner en Blanc. Le Dîner en Blanc started in Paris by François Pasquier in 1988 and has taken the world by storm for those that love to meet new dinner guests, dine under soft candlelight and dance into the night at a public location in a place that is kept secret until the very last minute.
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The Story of Le Dîner en Blanc (White Dinner)
"Founded in 2012, Dîner en Blanc International is responsible for developing the secret posh picnic in close to 80 cities in 30 countries around the world with over 130,000 participants. The largest and most internationally recognised Le Dîner en Blanc remains the original Paris event.
At the last minute, the secret location is revealed to thousands of friends who have all been patiently waiting to learn where “Dîner en Blanc” will take place. Thousands of people, dressed all in white, and conducting themselves with the greatest decorum, elegance, and etiquette, all meet for a mass “chic picnic” in a public space." - Sydney Le Dîner en Blanc
So you get the idea... guests wear white, and I mean white - not ivory, creme or beige, just white. There are even no black or brown belts or shoes allowed for men, and if you are thinking that people bend the rules, even a little, you are mistaken. Everyone follows the Le Dîner en Blanc dinner guidelines. Originality is encouraged but at all times you must dress elegantly and stylish, oh and of course did I already say... White!
Because of the predicted rain showers for this year's Sydney event the organisers sent through last minute instructions to all guests to make sure we were prepared for the weather. Me and thousands of others went on a last minute hectic dash to purchase clear rain ponchos (so our elegant clothes could still be seen) and clear plastic stick umbrellas (that means non collapsible ones) so that we could all still see each other and sociably talk. I was joking with my friend Anita wondering whether we might even cause a state wide shortage of these items!
Le Dîner en Blanc Sydney 2019
Yesterday evening the Le Dîner en Blanc was held in Sydney at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour with over 5,000 guests attending and it was a dream of mine to receive an invite to the event and be able to attend. So last evening my group which was L4 Group (there are groups of 50 guests that meet under a leader in locations all over the city to eventually combine in larger groups) met initially at Wynyard Train Station. We then met with five other groups to make a total of 250 guests.
After much anticipation we then proceeded on mass to catch a Sydney Railway train to Town Hall station where we met with another two groups of each 250 guests. After being counted off the guest list - think of a school excursion with highly excited adults dressed up and itching to find out the secret destination - and you can only have sympathy with the tour leaders who are trying to mark "the roll" and put us all into an orderly line "two by two".
The Secret Location
After the big "go ahead" we then headed off as another large group to walk the remaining 900 meters to "the spot" which last night was Tumbalong Park. Once through bag security to make sure no-one has any glass, which is a requirement because the picnic is held in a public space, we made our way to our table and busily set the table with cutlery, flowers, candles and crockery - all white or white with a touch of gold or silver.
For everyone who had brought their own food they quickly set this up and for the rest of us that had ordered a pre-made gourmet food hamper, we went to collect our pre-purchased food. As the event is strictly a no BYO, all drinks must be pre-ordered and collected at the the catering collection point. Drinks on offer this year were suitably French; Côtes de Provence rosé, Blanc de Blancs Champagne, Petit Chablis, Beaujolais and Côtes-du-Rhône.
Le Dîner en Blanc (White Dinner) Traditions - The Napkin Wave and Sparkler Wave
Once all ready, we chatted and nibbled until the giant traditional 'napkin wave' erupted across the park sending electric vibes across the crowd that I just cannot describe. Later during the night as the sun set and the candles gave off their soft glow, we lit our sparklers and did the 'sparkler wave' which announced the opening of the dance floor. With only a small dance floor, guests were dancing between all the tables and larger walkways in a magical camaraderie and we enjoyed a dance with guests from the tables either side of us. For the sparkler wave I kicked off my high 10cm heels , climbed on my chair alongside my new found friends and jigged to the music as we waved and sang in unison. The music by Dan Fontaine and his Orchestra and DJ Dan Rowntree (with Kate Orlova) was fabulous and with a great mix of French songs, modern and classic music all 5,000+ of us were entertained well.
How To Be Invited To Attend Le Dîner en Blanc
Would you like to attend a white dinner in a city near you? The process of receiving an invitation is exclusive and lengthy so if you are interested in attending here is some essential information you'll need to know.
Search for Le Dîner en Blanc near you and register your interest on the website of your chosen city and wait (sometimes this may be two to three years) until a Phase 3 invite space becomes available. If one of these invites then comes your way you need to accept or you may never be invited again. Once you pay for membership and attend a dinner you will then be invited the following year during the first, that is, Phase 1 round of invites.
Other ways to receive an invite, and in a speedier manner than above, are either to be sponsored by a previous dinner guest who, by sponsoring you gives you priority to be invited in Phase 2, or to become friends with the organisers or dinner leaders. Once you have attended a dinner via either of these two methods you will then be given priority in the following year as a member and get a Phase 1 invite.
Guidelines on Attending a Le Dîner en Blanc
- You must commit to attend rain or shine - no matter the circumstance.
- Exude elegance … in white.
- Bring your own table, chairs, and picnic basket (unless your city event has an option to hire a furniture package and food package). Tables must be foldable, square, measure between 68 and 81 cm and easy to carry.
- Follow the volunteer leader’s instructions.
- Arrive and leave with your leader. Nobody arrives at the site on their own.
- Drink responsibly. Champagne or wine only. No spirits or beer.
- Clean up after yourself. You must take all your garbage away with you.
Le Dîner en Blanc in Paris
The original dinner location, Paris, continues to draw large crowds with easily 10,000 guests every year. In 2018 a record 17,000 guests from Paris and around the world gathered at the Esplanade des Invalides to celebrate the milestone 30th anniversary dinner.
Some prestigious sites in Paris have played host to the chic picnic over the years including the Pont des Arts, the Eiffel Tower, Place Vendôme, the Château de Versailles, the Esplanade de Notre-Dame, the Esplanade des Invalides, the periphery of the Place de l'Étoile, the Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, Le Louvre Pyramid, Trocadéro Esplanade, and the Palais Royal Garden! Wow, that's a 'where's where' of famous Parisian sites for sure!
After a very French evening spent at the Le Dîner en Blanc in Sydney last night, today our new dinner friends are all sharing their photos in our group WhatsApp chat and messaging their thanks to each other for such a great night spent together. I think this sense of camaraderie is what François Pasquier had in mind those 30 years ago when he initially invited his close friends to get together for the inaugural white chic picnic, le Dîner en Blanc in Paris.
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