A big group picnic is planned for Milwaukee on Aug. 30, but it isn’t just any regular lunch with a basket and checkered blanket.
Attendees are expected to dress in all white and bring their own tables and chairs, along with elegant table settings. The organizers will provide entertainment, drinks and the location for the picnic, which will remain secret until event time.
Diner en Blanc is coming to Milwaukee for the first time, attracting tourists who follow the event across the world and locals who have never experienced it on home turf.
Organizer Demetra Morgan attended her first Diner en Blanc in Atlanta in 2021, and she has been hooked ever since.
“It was the mystique, this unknown, and preparing for an event without knowing where you’re going that drew me to it,” Morgan said.
Morgan is organizing the Milwaukee event with friends Michelle Ford, Trenetta Pitts and Cecily Keys-Kelly. Between the four, they have gone to 20 Diner en Blanc events across the country and even one in the Caribbean.
Members of Milwaukee’s Diner en Blanc host committee include Cecily Keys-Kelly (from left), Michelle Ford, Demetra Morgan and Trenetta Pitts.
“Part of the experience is meeting people from around the globe and making connections,” Morgan said.
The organizers said they know Diner en Blanc enthusiasts from across the country who will be coming to Milwaukee for the event.
“We look at this as an economic stimulus for Milwaukee. We’re engaging with local businesses and showcasing the culture of Milwaukee and Wisconsin,” Ford said.
They also look forward to bringing it to Milwaukeeans who have never experienced Diner en Blanc before.
“We’re inviting our friends from across the country and everyone here in Milwaukee to get together. It’s like a big family reunion,” Ford added.
What to expect at Diner en Blanc
The event is geared toward people who are looking for an elegant and unique night out. All-white dress is required, along with white tablecloths and white chair covers. Single-use or disposable flatware and plates are not allowed. The organizers can provide table and chairs for an extra fee.
“It’s such a unique experience to see how it forms and comes together from a blank canvas,” Pitts said. “People really go all out. One time I saw a chandelier on a table.”
Attendees can either bring their own food or purchase meals catered by Saz’s, which is an available add-on when purchasing tickets. There are also alcoholic drink packages available to purchase. Attendees are welcome to bring their own nonalcoholic beverages.
Diner en Blanc will provide entertainment throughout the night.
“We don’t share details regarding entertainment or sponsor activations, so that contributes to the mystery,” Morgan said. “You could go and there could be an adult white bouncy house or trapeze walkers.”
Attendees won’t know the dinner’s location basically until they arrive. A meeting spot is provided on the ticket, then attendees walk together to the location. For an extra fee, attendees can also be bussed in from Bayshore and College Avenue park-and-rides.
Tickets start at $50 per person, plus a $14 Diner en Blanc membership fee for first-time attendees. Attendees should bring a date or a friend as each table must have two people seated at it.
For more information, visit milwaukee.dinerenblanc.com/city.
About Diner en Blanc
More than 120 cities from around the world have hosted Diner en Blanc events since it started in Paris, France, in 1988.
The idea was to bring together friends and family for a night of good conversation, food and wine in a secret location. It has been set outside the Eiffel Tower and at the Esplanade des Invalides, where 17,000 people attended during the 30th anniversary.
The Milwaukee organizers said they’ve made new friends and professional connections at the events that they’ve gone to.
“I have people who I attended Dinner en Blanc with in 2021 and we are still friends to this day. We compare calendars and map out our Dinner en Blanc schedule for the season together,” Morgan said.
Their goal for the Milwaukee event is to bring people together to make those connections and have some fun.
“It’s such a joyful, celebratory experience. You leave just feeling so good about the world at the end of the night,” Ford said. “People set up their tables and put them together in one long line to make one long community table. You might not know the people next to you, but they might be your new best friend at the end of the night.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee to host its first Diner en Blanc event
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
