Le Dîner en Blanc announces location for its 12th annual soiree

For the 12th rendition of Philadelphia’s all-white soiree Dîner en Blanc, more than 5,000 guests will assemble at LOVE Park for an evening under the summer sun.

The pop-up picnic, which requires guests to dress in all-white attire (no off-white, beige, or ivory allowed), will take place at the Center City plaza. This location is another new one for the event, which has previously taken place at Rittenhouse Square, the Please Touch Museum, and the Navy Yard in past years.

It’s held outdoors, rain or shine, and attendees must carry their own picnic tables, linens, tableware, and food to the event.

Before launching in Philly in 2012, Dîner en Blanc started in a Parisian park in 1988 by a group of friends who agreed to wear white so they could easily spot each other from a distance.

The first event in Philly welcomed 1,300 guests to Logan Circle, and over the years the city has been home to the country’s largest Dîner en Blanc. The attendance of 5,300 people in 2017 set a record, and the event welcomed a total of 6,000 guests back in 2019. Last year, the event was sold out, with more than 5,000 people attending, organizers said.

Tickets for this year’s pop-up picnic cost $53, plus a $14 membership fee.

While skeptics have been vocal about the the soiree’s high cost, stiff rules, and snobbish vibes, many attendees rave about the party’s festive and celebratory atmosphere.

On Thursday, about 5,000 people will head over to LOVE Park with picnic tables on their backs, baskets full of tablecloths and dinnerware, and coolers of bites for another celebratory evening in Center City.