Ok, I guess it is not so secret if we are talking about it, but nonetheless, the Dîner en Blanc secret party in Cape Town is shrouded in mystery and intrigue. This entertainment concept originated in France 27 years ago, where a man named François Pasquier came up with a unique idea for a party. After being away from Paris for a long time, he planned to have a picnic so that he could reconnect with friends. With the idea of fun and mingling in mind, he asked each guest to bring a friend to his picnic. There was one challenge in this idea however, and that was that some people may not mingle with those who appeared to not be part of the party group. To solve this, he asked everyone (guests and their plus ones) to dress in white clothing.
This was how Dîner en Blanc began to flourish as a party where everyone is dressed the same, everyone is equal and everyone has the chance to meet new people outside their usual circle of friends. The concept of “white parties” is one that is hugely popular all over the globe, with everyone from P Diddy to regular Joes and Janes hosting various events that have a dress code of white clothing. But what makes this secret Cape Town event unique is that the venue is kept secret. Also, getting onto the guest list is quite a challenge!
Dîner en Blanc Cape Town Invitations and Entry
There are 3 phases for getting onto the guest list. Phase 1 requires an invite. Phase 2 allows guests to invite one friend. Phase 3 is the only phase still open at this point, and for that, you can register online to get onto the waiting list… bust keep in mind, tickets are limited! You will be notified when tickets are available after registering (click here to go to the site).
Now that you know how entry works, here is the need-to-know for this event:
When: 28 November 2015
Where: It’s a surprise!
Dress code: All white
Picnic baskets: Bring your own or pre-order online
Those who manage to get entry will be collected at various meeting points, and transported by bus to the top secret event. Here, they can “occupy” the venue by twirling napkins into the air. Dinner will be enjoyed from picnic baskets (either your own or one you’ve ordered). Other nightlife highlights include live music and DJs, with sparklers lit at 21h00 after dinner to signal the start of dancing underneath the stars.
As a popular pop-up picnic party that has successfully taken place in over 50 cities in 20 countries, it goes without saying that this concept is one that is universally enjoyed. The Paris party brings in a crowd of 15 000 people, while in New York, over 30 000 people join the fun.
Le Dîner en Blanc has now become a popular ‘pop-up-picnic- trend in over 50 cities, across more than 20 countries. The host city, Paris, draws in 15 000 hopefuls in search of invites. In New York, over 30 000 subscribers want to get their hands on a ticket. The guest list for the Cape Town white party is capped at 1800.
There are six elements integral to this event: friendship, secrecy, elegance, effort, heritage and magic. Organisers state that all attendees are responsible for decorating their own tables, and the heritage is brought in through a carefully chosen venue that has an important role in our history. Magic meanwhile is provided by the organisers, who work hard to keep things amazing and magical through event planning that spans well over a year.
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If all of this is sounding right up your alley, be sure to head on over to the link provided above and register your spot on the waiting list now, now, now! We’d love to hear your thoughts on the Cape Town secret party concept too – share your views below and let us know!
