2016 Dîner en Blanc Location

2016-nyc-diner-en-blanc-robert-f-wagner-park-jr-the-battery-nycAll photos of 2016 Dîner en Blanc by @ericlau_street and @untappedmich

In the sixth iteration of the New York City Diner en Blanc, almost 4800 guests converged onto Robert F. Wagner Park, just north of The Battery. From the main party area between Pier A and the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the pop-up white dinner extends into the gardens, grasses and waterfront walkways of Robert F. Wagner Park, named after Democratic senator who originally hailed from Germany. The views of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty on this clear day were simply stunning and possibly for the first time in the history of the dinner in New York City, the weather was comfortably cool.

Unlike in Paris, where it’s truly a pop-up – the 10,000+ guests simply show up in a coordinated location because there’s an unspoken agreement between the city and the organizers, in New York City the space itself, even if outdoor, must be rented. This somewhat limits the possibilities of where the dinner can be located (and explains the higher cost of the dinners here in New York City versus in Paris). In addition, locations run by conservancies, like Central Park Conservancy, or Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, have their own rules. For example, large scale catering can’t be done in Central Park.

You might also notice that the New York City Dîner en Blanc has not been in any other borough than Manhattan yet. Some residents have been clamoring for Brooklyn, but there are difficulties there as well. Noise concerns for residents that live alongside Brooklyn Bridge Park and in Brooklyn Heights may hinder the possibilities of seeing the dinner there in the near future, and Prospect Park had its own white dinner this summer. But who knows right? We’d love to see it on Governors Island – especially with the opening of the new park there, Battery Park, Fort Tryon Park, or even Riverside Park.

What we do know – this year French champagne company Moët & Chandon and Apothic wines will be the sponsor, and if you want to hang out with us at Untapped Cities, sign up for the group of tables led by yours truly!

Next, see the locations of the Dîner en Blanc in Paris.