From global phenomenon to most sought after ‘secret,’ Dîner en Blanc takes hold in a Philadelphia public space for the first time this summer.   This très chic picnic, imported from Paris, is part mystery tour, part pop-up feast and part je ne sais quoi.  On Thursday, August 23, 2012, culinary and culture enthusiasts dressed in white will converge upon a secret locale for an unforgettable evening of elegance, beauty and magic.

“Philadelphia is a city full of life with a passion and appreciation for food, tradition and culture which makes it a perfect backdrop for Dîner en Blanc,”said Natanya DiBona, Philadelphia Co-Chair. “The goal is to spend an extraordinary night — an unconventional picnic — and gather Philadelphians in a beautiful public space to reconnect friends and create new relationships.”

The waiting list for the Philadelphia edition of this world-wide viral event is now open at http://philadelphia.dinerenblanc.info.   When registration opens in a few weeks, all waiting list members will receive notification to register themselves and a guest, as well as select a meeting location for the day of the event.   Registrants who are too busy to pack their own picnics will also be given the option of pre-ordering a gourmet meal from the event’s caterer, Garces Catering.

Photo Credit - Sean Corbett Photography

Dressed in white, participants then converge upon their designated meeting spots with tables, chairs, non-disposal supplies, great food and fine wine.  From here, participants are led by their Table Hosts to the secret location the 1,000+ guests have been anticipating for months.

Over the course of the evening, the diners enhance the function and value of a Philadelphia space by participating in the unexpected. Beyond the spectacle and elegance of the dinner itself, guests are brought together from diverse backgrounds by a love of beauty and good taste. And several hours, when it is time to leave, diners fold up their tables and chairs, pack their crystal and dinnerware, gather all their debris and head into the night, with no sign of their elegant revelry left behind.

Photo Credit - Sean Corbett Photography

Organizers take every precaution to ensure that there are no disruptions from car and pedestrian traffic.  Although, it isn’t uncommon for the event to attract looks of astonishment from passersby at the scene unfolding before them.

The number of slots available for this first year are limited. Registration takes place on a first come, first served basis.   Dîner en Blanc is BYOB and therefore all participants must be at least 21 years old.    For more information on Dîner en Blanc Philadelphia, click here.

About Dîner en Blanc
Launched with just a handful of friends by François Pasquier nearly 25 years ago, Paris’ Dîner en Blanc now assembles nearly 15,000 white-clad guests each year in a dozen cities throughout Europe and North America. People simply place their names on an online waiting list and those who attend a Dîner en Blanc can become members, are invited back the following year, and in turn, can invite their friends. Dîner en Blanc is about building a pyramid of friends and a network that links memories.

The French capital’s most recognizable sites have played host to it: the Pont des Arts, the Eiffel Tower site, the Louvre Pyramid, the Trocadéro Esplanade, 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, the Louvre Museum and last year: The Plaza of Notre Dame basilica.

The American premiere was in New York, where over 30,000 people joined a wait list in hopes of securing one of the limited 1,300 spots. For 2012, Dîner en Blanc will be taking hold in outdoor public spaces in 20 cities across 5 continents, from Barcelona to Singapore, from Montreal to Sydney.  In the United States, 9 cities will play host to Diner en Blanc, including Las Vegas, New York, Boston, New Orleans, and Cincinnati.

For more information on Dîner en Blanc International, visit http://dinerenblanc.info/

**All of the information from this post is from the Dîner en Blanc Press Release**