Dîner en Blanc gives participants a number of instructions: bring your own table, chairs, and picnic basket; meet your group leader at an assigned location before the event; and dress from head to toe in “fabulous white.” This year, New York City participants arrived at Brookfield Place around 7 p.m. for an evening of fabulous festivities. New York City’s first Dîner en Blanc occurred in the same location, bringing the event full circle for its 10th anniversary.
The very first Dîner en Blanc took place in 1988 on the initiative of François Pasquier who decided to gather a few friends in the Bois de Boulogne upon his return to France after living abroad. To find each other in the park, they all wore white. The dinner was such a success that they decided the next year, each person would invite some other friends and the event grew organically into the 10,000-person dinner it is today in Paris.
In New York City, Dîner en Blanc has developed a reputation as a lavish phenomenon since its inception in 2011. Untapped New York has attended the event each year and documented each dinner through photos. From Governors Island to Lincoln Center to Pier 26, the dinner has occupied its fair share of venues. After the guests dressed in white leave each dinner, though, they leave no trace of the evening’s festivities.
This year, guests channeled their pent-up enthusiasm for the event that suffered from a COVID-19-induced hiatus. “I have always seen excitement, but this year I saw more excitement than ever. It was a monsoon an hour ago. and now here they all are. New York doesn’t stop,” Todd English, a celebrity chef and restaurateur who catered Dîner en Blanc for multiple years, said.
The guest list numbered slightly more than 3,000, which is a smaller number than in the past. However, the guests made up for the smaller crowd through their outfits, A number of guests could be spotted with LED wings, hats, and more, while others wore feathered hats, wings, and scarves.
The passion New Yorkers hold for Dîner en Blanc is also evident in their place settings. While some Dîner participants bring the bare minimum — a table, chairs, a white tablecloth, and their food — others bring candles, canopies, and more.
Though DÎner en Blanc is over this year, the minds at DÎner en Blanc are already planning next year’s event. The location is secret once again, but the organization says next year’s location is worth getting excited about.
Next, check out the top 10 secrets of the Battery!