Continuing his father’s legacy, Aymeric Pasquier, the son of Francois Pasquier, who founded the event in Paris about 24 years ago, is bringing the annual Diner En Blanc back to Montreal. The event is an elegant and delicious concept in which thousands of guests, all dressed in white, meet at an undisclosed location in Montreal. The secret location remains a mystery until the very last minute, which creates a magnitude of hype and anticipation leading up to the final reveal. A bus charter of sorts relocates the guests to this ambiguous space where a grandeur picnic will take place.
Such an event comes with its own book of rules and regulations to keep the theme consistent and refined. They are as follows: Everyone must dress in white and bring a white tablecloth. The men sit on one side and women on the other to keep the visual aspect in perfect alignment. Since the event is exclusive, it is not open to the public and you must know somebody who is attending the party in order to get invited. You must supply your own tables, chairs, cutlery, and a picnic basket – so find something that is easily transported. There is the option of asking a caterer to prepare the food for you; this way it is already packaged to carry around. In previous years, foodies brought everything from fondue to sushi, so get as creative as you wish. Last but not least, good manners all around apply!
Now, what to expect once you arrive? Imagine a beautiful crowd in a sea of white chairs, tables, and ensembles enjoying gourmet food. The sight is one to see as a sea of people overtakes a public space, feasts, dance a little, and then disappears. The event usually includes live music, local musicians and Montreal’s elite ready to socialize and party. Start time aims for 7pm and ends around 11:30pm.
Diner en Blanc made its way over to Canada four years ago and this year Vancouver has hopped on board with the help of Tyson Villeneuve. It is held in various countries around the world, including Mexico, Spain, Italy, United States and many more. Today, the original Parisian event can draw crowds of up to 15,000 people and was held outside the Louvre previously. Look up the images if you have time, its spectacular.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle and we highly recommend that you jump on the opportunity and experience something quite special if you have a shot at attending.