By now you might have heard a posh picnic is headed to Ottawa on August 11: le Diner en Blanc! Wait a minute, what exactly is this picnic everyone's talking about? And why hasn't anyone said where it is?! What's with the white? What the heck?
I'm giving away two tickets to this exclusive event, but first I'm gonna tell you a little bit about it.
Launched in Paris nearly 30 years ago by Mr. François Pasquier and a handful of friends, Le Dîner en Blanc de Paris now attracts over 10,000 guests each year. The rules? Invitation only, secret location, all white everything, dress to impress, BYO table and chairs, and finally: leave the site exactly as you found it.
Over the years, the French capital's most prestigious sites have played host to the event, like The Pont des Arts, the Eiffel Tower, Place Vendôme, the Château de Versailles, the Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, and many more.
This posh picnic has now been held in over 70 cities and 25 countries around the world, with each event led by passionate local organizers who want to see it come to life in their own hometown. So you'll notice that each edition of the fashionable fête has a distinct local flair.
Personally I think New York did a pretty bang-up job. Looks to me like they're dining at the Chelsea Piers with a view of the Jersey City skyline. COLOUR ME JELOUS, NEW YORK. Good think I'll be in NYC next weekend to get my fix... but I digress.
So, how do you get in on this very first Ottawa edition of Diner en Blanc taking place August 11? Since it's by invite only, you'll need to register your email address on their website to be added to the waiting list. On July 20 -- that's today! -- at 9am, the waitlist will open and you'll have a chance to grab a spot. Don't waste a second, this event is sure to sell out!
If you're one of the lucky ones who manages to secure a spot, the next item on your to-do list is planning an all white outfit. When Mr. Pasquier founded the event he was adamant that the dress code be white only -- no colours or even ivory or cream allowed. So I've rounded up some outfit inspo to get you started!
win YOUR WAY IN to diner en blanc!
I'm giving away a pair of tickets to the exclusive, invitation-only Dîner en Blanc!
Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below and complete as many actions as you like! With each action your name goes into the hat again to boost your chances of winning. I've given you lots of ways to enter so choose as many as you want and I'll announce a winner on Monday July 25, 2016.
The winner MUST be a local resident and/or able to travel to Ottawa to attend. Best of luck!