What is Dîner en Blanc? Is it really a picnic you wear white to? Why would anyone wear white to a picnic? Are we talking togas or tuxes? Does the picnic meal need to be white? Can you bring wine? Does the wine need to be white? What if I don’t like white wine?
To put an end to the wondering, a few of my curious friends and I bought tickets to Dîner en Blanc Vancouver 2016, read the rules, organized a picnic, got dressed up in our finest white outfits, and joined about 6,000 others at a secret outdoor picnic location (announced only an hour in advance). Now we will no longer wonder. It was in a word – wonderful!
Initially launched in Paris in 1988 by François Pasquier, Dîner en Blanc is conceptually an elegant outdoor summer picnic for grown-ups, dressed in white. In many ways it is similar to traditional picnics as guests bring their own picnic baskets, fold-out tables, and chairs. There are however a few obvious upscaled exceptions: white linens replace the traditional red gingham picnic tablecloths, and breakable dishes and glassware replace the traditional plastic picnic dishes.
Preparing our foursome for the evening took a little creative organizing, bungee cords and luggage carts, but the effort was well worth the outcome.
As the Dîner en Blanc 2016’s guests arrived at the picnic location (the Concord Pacific Expo Site) they were serenaded by centre stage musicians and entertained by wandering circus performers, while being guided to set up their dinner tables and white chairs. The perfectly adjoined square tables were aligned and orchestrated by event organizers, into a series of evenly-spaced parallel rows. Guests creatively dressed their white tables with décor, dishware and glassware, before setting out their prepared picnics.
Not only were the tables dressed in white, so were all the guests and event organizers – from head to toe. Some wore white hats, some wore white flowers in their hair, and some even wore white body paint (not me – maybe next year). Everything and everyone, arrived in white and was glamorously elegant.
The view from within the picnic location was spectacular. Wine bottles and an occasional coloured flower on the white tables, stood out like accidental splashes of paint on a fresh white canvas. Let’s not forget the guest of honour – the sun stayed from start to finish to glisten through the wine glasses, and sparkle on the silverware.
As the evening progressed, we enjoyed our dinner, our neighbours and some enthusiastic conversations. At dusk, guests were ceremoniously called to light the sparklers delivered to each table for yet another stunning photo opportunity.
Dîner en Blanc proved to be a sensational picnic experience, and a “must-do-at-least-once” summer event. Would we do it again? Absolutely! Should you stop wondering and join us next year for Dîner en Blanc 2017? Please do!
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A few of my Dîner en Blanc picnic packing pointers:
Adventures near and far 