Dinner parties are my favorite kind of parties, so I jumped at the opportunity to attend Fort Lauderdale’s Inaugural Dîner en Blanc on February 16, 2019! This unique dining event wishes to promote friendship and elegance, while setting a new standard for chic outdoor events. Built by friends and for friends, Le Dîner en Blanc is a very special event, and it is certainly different from any dinner party I’ve ever attended before.
Creator François Pasquier launched the first Dîner en Blanc de Paris 30 years ago, and he continues to bring more than 10,000 people together each year in some of the French capital’s most prestigious sites. Over the years, the event has certainly grown in both attendance and recognition. Past locations in Paris have included Pont de Arts, the Champs-Élysée, and the garden of the Palais Royal. Just last year, Le Dîner en Blanc de Paris celebrated its 30th anniversary by gathering over 15,000 guests at Place des Invalides, in front of the Eiffel Tower!
What exactly happens at Le Dîner en Blanc? After registering for the event a couple weeks in advance, I was told via email that the location of the event would be revealed to me just a few hours before which was quite exciting! As a media guest, I drove myself there, however, many guests can board buses to transport them to the secret location on the day of. We are given strict instructions to keep the location a secret until the start of the event at 4 pm. I really enjoyed the mystique, and so did the other 800 guests.
One of the main rules is to dress in all white (from head to toe) which is strictly enforced, and this really helps to create a beautiful atmosphere of togetherness and elegance. During the first hour, you find your assigned place and start setting up tables, chairs, food, and drinks. After all, this is a picnic so people bring their own supplies. Dîner en Blanc wants guests to experience the beauty and value of their city’s public spaces, and we absolutely did just that. Our location was revealed to be Esplanade Park which provided a lovely waterfront setting for this fun event along Fort Lauderdale’s scenic Riverwalk Park. They have a capacity for up to 2,000 guests, therefore, everyone had plenty of room.
Over the course of the evening, friends, family, and strangers all enjoyed participating in the unexpected, while appreciating the elegance of the dinner itself. I really loved how so many guests were brought together from diverse backgrounds by a love of good taste, beauty, and fun. It really is no surprise that the popularity of Le Dîner en Blanc has spread to more than 80 cities around the world, including New York, Sydney, Shanghai, London, Johannesburg, Singapore, Toronto, now Fort Lauderdale, and many more. I am very much looking forward to the next one in Florida, and hope to attend internationally one day!
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Denay DeGuzman
February 20, 2019 at 3:35 pmOh my goodness, what an amazing culinary experience! This is the first I’ve heard of this. Thank you so much for sharing info and photos of this spectacular event!
Carmen Edelson
February 25, 2019 at 1:46 pmIt was such a fun experience, happy to share!
Stephanie
February 20, 2019 at 6:11 pmI’ve always wanted to go to one of these. They’ve had them in DC before which isn’t far from me – but also isn’t quite close enough for the amount of spontaneity these encourage!
Carmen Edelson
February 25, 2019 at 1:47 pmHopefully there will be one closer to you in the future!
Indya | The Small Adventurer
February 20, 2019 at 10:36 pmWow, this event looks beautiful! I’ve never heard or seen anything like it before. I’m not sure I’d enjoy eating outside, but it does look like a gorgeous setting!
Carmen Edelson
February 25, 2019 at 1:47 pmIf it’s a beautiful day, then it’s a lot of fun!
lauren
February 21, 2019 at 8:21 amThis looks amazing! I have never heard of these before! Love that everyone is in white and you are sitting at long tables. Such a great way to connect and meet new people over great food.
Lauren – https://thelittlelakecottage.com
Carmen Edelson
February 25, 2019 at 1:47 pmYes, it was such a great way to connect!
Jennifer Morrison
February 21, 2019 at 12:57 pmI have heard of this many times and find it so interesting. I would love to go to this event and share in the fellowship! Also, I always think it looks like such a beautiful and peaceful event.
Carmen Edelson
February 25, 2019 at 1:48 pmIt’s very peaceful indeed, I highly recommend it 🙂
Michelle Kellogg
February 21, 2019 at 3:28 pmThat’s a really interesting dining experience to share with family and friends. The all white is very classy!
Carmen Edelson
February 25, 2019 at 1:48 pmSo much class and elegance for sure 🙂
Cristina
February 27, 2019 at 1:35 amI love this type of events!
I was thinking of something similar for my birthday this year.
Carmen Edelson
February 28, 2019 at 6:29 pmThat would be so much fun!