Editor’s Note:
Montreal is magical in the summer. There are so many memorable nights, festivals and occasions. Dîner En Blanc is one of the more unique special gatherings. This week, Rachelle Hecht talks to us about her recent experience at this iconic summer meal.
About the author:
Rachelle Hecht is a butcherette and personal chef from Montreal. She plans to open a butcher shop in the coming months where she can bring her passion for local and sustainable agriculture to her neighbours in South-West Montreal. Her blog butcherette.com has not been updated in months 
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To me, summer in Montreal means anything can happen. The city is so alive after a long winter and everyone is ready for hot days and spontaneous good times. I can’t think of a more carefully planned spontaneous event than the Montreal edition of the Dîner En Blanc, which I attended last Thursday with my handsome beau and two of our best friends.
Dîner En Blanc is an annual tradition that began in Paris in 1988, when François Pasquier returned to Paris after being abroad. He asked his friends to meet him at Bois du Boulogne, dressed in white so they would recognize each other. The Paris event has continued to grow over the years, invitations are only sent to friends of friends. This years’ event hosted over 10,000 in two locations!
When I first heard about the event I was awestruck by its romanticism. A top secret location, revealed only at the last moment. Thousands of people arriving, tables and chairs in hand. Long tables of revellers, all dressed in white. Men on one side, women on the other. Bottles of champagne. Gourmet picnics. Sparklers.
In reality, the preparation that went into planning our evening was a little overwhelming. Who can we borrow a table from? It has to be 30 inches. What if it rains? Better get some white umbrellas. The dress code says no shorts? Sorry honey, we have to go shopping for white pants. And shoes. And, and, and. The list went on and on. When the day of the event finally arrived, we were pretty exhausted with all the prep work. But was it ever worth it!
We met up with our group in Outremont where a bus would take us to the event. There were hundreds of people milling about, with hundreds of tables and chairs and picnic baskets. There were people in their 20’s and people in their 70’s, everyone ready for a beautiful evening. Quite irksome, there were people dressed in beige and in dirty tennis shoes. All violations of the strict dress code: “rien que du blanc… voir très élégant!” We had taken the rules so seriously. We were told that not following the rules results in blacklisting in future years. To learn that others had flouted them… Disappointment. But we had a party to go to. We loaded all our gear up on the bus and set off.
We arrived downtown a short time later at Place Du Canada. The scene was riotous and perfectly planned at once. Confused passers-by snapped photos, their mouths agape, as we carried everything into the park and arranged our tables in long rows, draped white table cloths and set the tables with crystal, china, silverware and candles.
Music played as we tucked into our homemade picnic of Moroccan chicken and onion marmalade sandwiches with a salad of grilled corn, red peppers and black beans. We sipped sparkling cider and ice cold sake and marvelled at the scene surrounding us.
At precisely 9 o’clock, the 3,100 people in attendance lit sparklers and waved them in the air, signalling the end of the meal and the beginning of the dancing.
Revellers climbed up on the historic statues in the park. Others packed the dance floor or danced in the aisles and on the grass.
More wine was sipped (we had a lovely ruby Pineau des Charantes) and at precisely 11 o’clock? Everyone packed up their picnics, empty bottles, tables and chairs and left, leaving behind not a single trace of the party that was just there.
The entire night was more magical and romantic than I had ever imagined.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
How, where to apply???? very nice gathering.
You can sign up for the wait list at http://dinerenblanc.info