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From global phenomenon to highly sought-after “secret,” Dîner en Blanc returns to Philadelphia this summer for an unforgettable evening filled with food, wine, fashion, culture and music. On Thursday, August 20, 2015, 4,300 guests will celebrate and re-purpose an unexpected public space that is revealed only moments before the start of the très chic picnic. Event registration is open now for last year’s registered members and continues through the Phase 3 lottery for new participants (July 20-23rd). Potential guests can add their name to the waiting list at philadelphia.dinerenblanc.info/register by 11:59PM on July 17, 2015.

Part mystery tour, part pop-up feast and part je ne sais quoi, Diner en Blanc is a magical evening that celebrates and re-purposes public space. Bystanders will witness groups of guests all dressed in white gathering at specific rallying points all across the city. Guided by volunteers, these groups will then converge on a unique and unexpected setting, travelling by foot, bus and/or public transportation. Guests will bring their own gourmet feast, table, chairs and table setting. Over the course of the evening, they will eat and celebrate amid music, entertainment and dancing.

The evening is filled with visually breathtaking moments including the waving of a cloth napkin to mark the beginning of the dinner and the lighting of sparklers to let guests know they are now free to mingle and dance. When at the end of the evening the trumpet sounds, guests pack up all of their belongings, pick up all their litter and head back into the night, leaving behind no sign of their elegant revelry.

Potential guests interested in attending the 2015 edition for the first time can sign up on the waiting list atphiladelphia.dinerenblanc.info/register. The final day to add yourself to the waiting list in time for the 2015 lottery is July 17, 2015 at 11:59PM. As of today, more than 7,500 interested parties have added themselves to the waiting list this year alone. The full registration schedule is as follows:

Phase 1, now open - Registration opens for last year’s registered guests
Phase 2, starts July 15 - Registration opens for friends sponsored by Phase 1 members
Phase 3, opens July 20-23 - Lottery software selects names from waiting list in random order; new participants selected by lottery can register using a code they are emailed within 36 hours; after 36 hours the code will expire and other names will be selected by the software

In order to maintain the uniqueness of the event, as well as staying true to the long-standing traditions, all guests must observe certain rules:

Guests must dress from elegant and white. Originality is encouraged as long as it is stylish and tasteful. Prizes will be awarded for best dressed male and female.
Table settings must be white.
Guests should meet at their assigned departure location and be escorted to the final destination by Diner en Blanc volunteers.
Guests should be prepared to attend the event rain or shine.
All guests must leave the event location as clean as when they arrived. Guests are required to leave with their belongings, including leftovers and litter.

Guests must bring:

A table, two white chairs, a white tablecloth, stemware and dinnerware. Prizes will be awarded for best table decorations.
A picnic basket with fine food and drink. Food should be brought in reusable and/or recycled containers.
Champagne or wine. Beer and hard liquor are prohibited.

A catered picnic basket option, which can be picked up at the site, will be also available for those who do not wish to pack their own. Guests wishing to do so must reserve online through Dîner en Blanc website during the initial ticket registration. This year’s official caterers are Garces Events, Di Bruno Bros. Catering and Luke Palladino Catering.

Apothic Wines is proud to be the official wine sponsor of the 2015 US Diner en Blanc series, including Philadelphia.

For full details on the event’s rules and regulations, please visit the official website:international.dinerenblanc.info/about. To keep up to date on event announcements, follow Diner en Blanc - Philadelphia on Facebook, dinerenblancphl on Instagram and @debphl on Twitter (hashtags #DEBPHL15 #dinerenblanc).

For all official videos of Dîner en Blanc around the world, visit www.youtube.com/user/DinerEnBlanc.

ABOUT DINER EN BLANC

Launched in Paris in 1988 by François Pasquier and a handful of friends, Le Dîner en Blanc has become a worldwide epicurean phenomenon. Dîner en Blanc - Paris now attracts nearly 15,000 people each year. What was a “friends and word-of-mouth only” event has grown into an international sensation celebrated on five continents. While the technology behind the event may have changed over the years, the principles fuelling this fantastic event have not: guests continue to gather at a secret location for the sole purpose of sharing a gourmet meal with good friends in one of their city’s most beautiful public spaces. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Dîner en Blanc International is responsible for developing this secret posh picnic in over 60 cities in more than 205 countries around the world. Each event is headed by passionate local organizers who fell in love with the concept and wanted to bring it to their city, giving this rendezvous a local flair.

ABOUT DINER EN BLANC – PHILADELPHIA

Dîner en Blanc Philadelphia debuted in 2012 at Swann Memorial Fountain in Logan Circle. The sold out viral picnic attracted 1,300 guests clad in white with their white tables, linens, china and décor. In 2013, the event returned to even more viral and critical buzz, selling out in just 24 minutes. Guests that year popped up in the middle of the JFK Bridge for dinner set against the cityscape to the East and 30th Street Station to the West. In 2014, over 3,500 guests celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Avenue of the Arts by popping up on Broad Street, from City Hall down to Pine Street. The celebration showcased the best of Philadelphia arts and culture with ballet, music and artistic performances. Diner en Blanc Philadelphia has been named Philadelphia's “Party of the Year" by local press outlets -- and won a Best of Philly Award for “Pop-Up Event of the Year” and multiple Pepperpot Achievement Awards from the Public Relations Society of America, Philadelphia Chapter. Most recently, Diner en Blanc was named best foodie of the year by the Philly Happening List.

ABOUT APOTHIC

Embrace the intrigue of the unexpected. Apothic® White, the official wine of Dîner en Blanc, blends Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Grigio to create a refreshing, medium-bodied wine with flavors of peach and apricot, that leads to a crisp, balanced finish. Named from the 13th century European Apotheca, where wine was blended and stored, the wines of Apothic fuse Old World intrigue with modern sophistication. Our winemaker, Debbie Juergenson, crafts unique, captivating blends that create layers of complexity. Taste a White with Darker Motives and revel in the intrigue of Dîner en Blanc.