From global phenomenon to highly sought-after “secret”, Jersey City will host its very first Le Dîner en Blanc on August 25, 2022 in one of the city’s best-known public spaces. Le Dîner en Blanc – Jersey City is hosted by Art House Productions in partnership with the City of Jersey City and The Office of Cultural Affairs.
To participate in this first edition, people can sign up on the waiting list via the official website at jerseycity.dinerenblanc.com and clicking on the Register tab.
Le Dîner en Blanc is an event that, even by staying home, transports us into another world. The festive and community feel of this long-standing French picnic tradition will not change. And as per tradition, the venue will remain secret until the last minute. The sea of people all adorned in white creates images that are instantly ‘Instagram-able’. Meeting new people or reuniting with long-time friends getting all dressed up to attend a dinner à la française where conversation and champagne are essential.
“We felt Jersey City was primed for such an affair. The notion of sharing a meal amongst friends remains at the heart of the event, and this could not be more refreshing in today’s world. We need this reminder of community and friendship,” says Mira Prinz-Arey, co-host of Le Dîner en Blanc in Jersey City. “We hope to make this first event a magical evening that will become a long-standing tradition locally.”
In essence, Le Dîner en Blanc promotes friendship, elegance and gallantry. Over the course of the evening, guests experience the beauty and value of one their city’s public spaces by participating in the unexpected.
To maintain its uniqueness as well as staying true to tradition of Le Dîner en Blanc, guests must observe certain requirements and follow a few key rules:
- Dress code: elegant and white only. Originality and creativity are encouraged as long as it is stylish and tasteful.
- Table setting: all white!
- Champagne and/or wine. Beer and hard liquor are prohibited.
- As per Jersey City alcohol laws/regulations, guests cannot bring their own alcohol. Guests wishing to enjoy some wine or Champagne, must reserve online from CoolVines Jersey City through Le Dîner en Blanc’s e-store. However, guests are welcome to bring their own non-alcoholic beverages.
- To ensure that the location is kept secret until the last minute, guests meet at the assigned departure location and are escorted by Le Dîner en Blanc volunteers.
- In order to leave the event location as clean as when they arrived, guests are required to leave with all their belongings, leftovers and litter.
Guests must bring:
- A table, two (white) chairs, white tablecloth.
- A picnic basket comprising fine food and proper stemware and white dinnerware.
- An option to pre-order food from CSW Catering, which can be picked up at the site, will be available for those who do not wish to pack their own picnic baskets. Guests wishing to do so must reserve online through Le Dîner en Blanc’s e-store.
Le Dîner en Blanc – Jersey City gratefully acknowledges the City of Jersey City and Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs, The KRE Group and CoolVines, as official local partners of the inaugural edition of Le Dîner en Blanc.
Art House Productions is committed to accessibility in all our public events. If you have a disability and need accommodation at Diner en Blanc, please contact jerseycity@dinerenblanc.com.
About the Hosts of Le Dîner en Blanc – Jersey City
The hosting team behind Le Dîner en Blanc – Jersey City is composed of Meredith Burns, Josh Alpert and Andrea Mckenna from Art House Productions, Christine Goodman, and Mira Prinz-Arey. Art House Productions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to the development and presentation of the performing and visual arts in Jersey City, NJ. Art House Productions presents theater, performing and visual arts festivals, arts events, visual art exhibitions, and adult and youth art classes. For more information about Art House programs, please visit www.arthouseproductions.org.
About Dîner en Blanc International
Over the years, Le Dîner en Blanc has become a worldwide epicurean phenomenon. What was a “friends and word-of-mouth only” event has grown into an international sensation celebrated on six continents. Launched in Paris in 1988 by François Pasquier and a handful of friends, Le Dîner en Blanc de Paris marked its 30th anniversary in 2018 with a record 17,000 guests from Paris and around the world. While the technology behind the event may have changed over the years, the principle fuelling this fantastic event has not: guests dressed in all white continue to gather at a secret location for the sole purpose of sharing a gourmet meal with good friends in one of their city’s most beautiful public spaces. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Dîner en Blanc International is responsible for developing this secret posh picnic in over 120 cities in 40 countries around the world. Each event is headed by passionate local organizers who fell in love with the concept and wanted to bring it to their city, giving this rendezvous a local flair. For more info, photos and videos of Le Dîner en Blanc events from around the world, visit dinerenblanc.com.
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