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Photos: Thousands Dressed In White Partied At Pershing Square Last Night
Thousands of people dressed in white gathered in downtown L.A. last night for an elegant, flash mob dinner party.
The massive pop-up dinner spectacle—known as Dîner en Blanc—took over Pershing Square with white-clad revelers dining, drinking and dancing throughout the night. Last night, an estimated 2,400 people attended the second L.A.-rendition of a Paris-born party launched over 27 years ago, which has since traveled to over 60 cities in more than 25 countries. The elegant picnic party always takes place in a dramatic, public location, and LAist headed to Pershing Square to join in on the festivities.
Pre-registered guests for the party were required to follow a strict all-white and "elegant" dress code, and were then told the secret location of the event just an hour before the 7 p.m. start time. They then boarded buses at predetermined locations around the city and were shuttled to Pershing Square. Guests were also asked to bring white chairs, an all-white table setting, linens and a table of uniform size to match with other diners, which they smilingly lugged through the evening's heat. They also brought a picnic basket packed with gourmet eats, and those who pre-ordered wine and champagne picked up the bottles on site. With the help of organizers, attendees then set up their tables in neat rows throughout the park. Once the crowd had assembled, Dîner en Blanc organizers welcomed the guests, invited them to wave their napkins in the air—a tradition to mark the beginning of the night—and the party began.
Not to be out done by our counterparts in New Yorkor D.C., Angelenos showed up to Dîner en Blanc in grand style, complete with creative white ensembles, elaborate centerpieces and decedent feasts. From the formal to the improvised at-the-last-minute, guests dug deep into their closets and imaginations for their all white outfits. We saw feathered, illuminated and even butterfly-adorned headdresses, as well as gleaming cowboy hats and bowlers for the gentleman. There were elegant gowns, flapper dresses and saris, alongside white tuxes, naval uniforms and plenty of linen perfect for this summer's sweltering heat.
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Tables were adorned with overflowing cheese and charcuterie boards, towers of eclairs and illuminated centerpieces—including an Eiffel tower nod to the party's origins. Guests feasted, sipped champagne and took countless selfies, while a live band turned out a blend of jazz, funk and even some Erykah Badu covers. Once everyone had dined on their posh picnics, guests gradually made their way to the dance floor where the Charleston, the samba and and wild improvisations seemed to blend seamlessly once DJ Sandra Luesse took over. Towards the end of the night a violinist took to the stage for a melodic interlude. The stage eventually overflowed with dancers with the occasional circle opening up for particularly killer dance moves. Many danced right up to the evening's close at 11 p.m., when guests were thanked and asked to kindly pack up everything they brought and make their way back to the buses or wherever the night took them next.
You can find out about the next destination for Dîner en Blanc on their website and sign up for their newsletter to register for when they return to Los Angeles.
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