Philly’s Dîner en Blanc returns this August
Here's what to know about the annual "chic picnic" event in Philadelphia.
Dîner en Blanc returns to Philly on Aug. 10 for its 11th year. French for “dinner in white,” the event gathers folks at a designated location, disclosed a few hours beforehand, decked out in their best white outfits for a “chic picnic” that’s all about elegance and etiquette.
What began as a group of friends meeting up at a park in Paris in 1988 has expanded to events in more than 80 cities in 30 countries.
Rain or shine, guests are expected to attend with their own table, chairs, and picnic basket of food and drink — Champagne or wine only (no beer or booze). Guest must arrive at a meeting spot dressed in white (no ivory, off-white, or beige) and follow the volunteer leader to the secret location.
Organizers for Dîner en Blanc Philadelphia pick a location and request permission from the city to host its gathering, and later pay site and rental fees along with any necessary road closures (closing city streets costs $50 per block). For the 2018 City Hall event, for instance, the city collected $3,000 for the use of City Hall and Thomas Paine Plaza, and the Center City District received a $20,500 rental fee for Dilworth Park.
While many people enjoy the pop-up, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, with some Philadelphians voicing their dislike for a “so gaudy, so contra-Philly” event that is a “literal whitewashing of Philly.”
In past years, Philadelphians gathered at Swann Memorial Fountain in Logan Circle, Boathouse Row, and Rittenhouse Square. The popular event offered Boardwalk and ocean views with its debut in Atlantic City in 2022, and almost 2,000 guests took over the Boardwalk along the inlet for this year’s picnic on June 24.
The Philly event registration is in phase one, where members who registered for the 2022 event can choose to purchase tickets or select the “absent member” option to save their phase one invite for next year. Each member can add one “sponsored guest,” who can purchase presale tickets in phase two, starting July 10. Phase three will open July 13 for general ticket sales — those on the waiting list will be sent an invitation to register. Tickets cost $49, plus a $14 fee to Dîner en Blanc International.