Celebrating its 10th annual event, Chicago's Lincoln Park hosted the 2024 Dîner en Blanc last week, a summertime tradition celebrating the city, gastronomy, community and the crisp look of all white against the rich green of the park's lawns and trees. Founded in 1988 in Paris, the event has grown to over 120 cities worldwide, and past iterations of Chicago's version have been hosted at the plaza in front of Merchandise Mart, Daley Center Plaza and its first home, the South Gardens of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Each year, thousands of people (this year, organizers say it was 3,000; last year, 2,500) purchase tickets ranging from $67-$55 for the privilege of finding out hours before the event where they'll be dining that evening. It's all part of the thrill, a secret that makes the soiree that much more exclusive and exciting. Diners are given a relatively strict set of guidelines to follow as they prepare for the evening, much of it to do with the dress code: white, white and more white. To keep things classy, picnics cannot be stocked with anything disposable, but centerpieces and other accoutrements are more than welcome. I spied several Eiffel Towers decorating decked-out tables.
Specifically situated in Lincoln (Abraham) Park at the south end of the grounds that span the lakefront, organizers adorned a walking path bisecting the picnic area with cascading Edison lights, with a DJ and dance floor at the center of it all. A view of the top of the Hancock Building in the distance greeted participants as they arranged their picnic tables in rows that seemed to span as far as the eye could see. In the press area and at catered tables nearby, plates heaped with food from Blue Plate Catering, all inspired by various Chicago neighborhoods, from Greektown and Devon Street to Pilsen, Little Italy and more. Many picnickers choose to purchase a pre-made dinner basket featuring the same menu, or they are of course welcome to bring their own spread for the occasion.
But above the food, the setting or even the weather (which, grâce à Dieu, was perfect) is the evening's primary draw: the fashion. The thousands of people attending Dîner en Blanc all have one thing in common, and that is their understanding of the assignment. From statement hats and fascinators to tulle skirts with string lights aglow after sunset, I spied a pirate in all white, corsets and beading galore and no shortage of creative ways to interpret the theme.
And this year, organizers brought the emphasis on fashion to life, as shortly after the traditional white napkin twirl to officially open the event, participants gathered at the edge of the park path to take in a fashion show featuring the winter white line-up from Chicago-based designer Karmic Couture. A violinist performed instrumental versions of popular songs while dozens of models walked up and down the path for picnickers to gaze upon; from my seat on a park bench lining the path, I felt a bit like Anna Wintour.
As dinner drew to a close and volunteers distributed and lit sparklers for attendees to enjoy, the dance floor opened in full and the city again played host to one of the most unique events of the season. On our walk over to the picnic site that evening, both my date and I decked out in head-to-toe white, we were approached by no fewer than half a dozen fellow Chicagoans curious about what we were up to and what exactly they were witnessing as the party in the park kicked off. From any angle, Dîner en Blanc is eye-catching, an intriguing concept brought beautifully to life again this year.
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