Get your finest evening (white) apparel ready! The popular annual event Le Dîner en Blanc returns to NYC on Sept. 26.
The legendary French-inspired urban picnic Le Dîner en Blanc has become THE culinary event of the year in cities around the world, bringing food lovers, cultural enthusiasts, and fashionistas dressed all in white together at a secret locale. This year, the now global event will take place across six continents, including 75 cities, 16 countries.
With Dîner en Blanc International’s visionary Co-Founder and President Sandy Safi at the helm, building and overseeing an ever-expanding global network, the chic pop-up dinner has become a beloved tradition, with each location injecting its own unique culture and culinary voice. There are nearly two million fans on lists worldwide, hoping to attend events that frequently sell out in a matter of days.
In 2023, Le Dîner en Blanc made history, taking over the streets of New York’s landmark Meatpacking District, an area that’s at the nexus of fashion, trendy clubs, restaurants and shops, and creative industries. Nearly 3,800 were in attendance. Prior locations have included iconic sites like Lincoln Center, Brookfield Place and Bryant Park.
The locale also showcased the city’s efforts to rethink and transform its utilization of NYC streets and take advantage of its unique urban landscape. This was the first-of-its kind collaboration with the Meatpacking District Management Association, and New York City’s mayor Eric Adams marked the occasion by stopping by and donning a spiffy white outfit to show his support.
Le Dîner en Blanc President and Co-founder, Sandi Safi. Photo by Elizabeth Kalan.
“The night was simply extraordinary,” says Safi. “It was a privilege to work with the city and set a precedent by holding the event in the heart of the historic Meat Packing District. I believe we also caught attendees off guard as they were not expecting to experience the transformation of the famed streets into an event location for the evening. Doing this allowed the local community to take back a piece of the city for a few hours and enjoy it as a communal space. It also supported local businesses by giving them increased visibility—we collaborated with local restaurants and hotels onsite. Music, art, fashion, and food are at the heart of the event, and we look forward to bringing our special magic and “joie de vivre’ to the September event!”
From last year’s Diner en Blanc, held in the Meatpacking District.
Guests are to bring:
- A table, two white chairs, white tablecloth.
- A picnic basket comprising fine food and proper stemware and white dinnerware.
- A catered picnic basket option, which can be picked up on site, will be available for those who do not wish to pack their own. Guests wishing to do so must reserve online through Le Diner en Blanc’s e-store.
- Their own non-alcoholic beverages.
Interested participants can sign up to the new Fan list/Phase 3 at newyork.dinerenblanc.com and then click on ‘Attend Diner en Blanc’ for a chance to register when tickets go on sale.
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