More than 3,200 people staged a pop-up picnic in David Lam Park in Yaletown on Aug. 21 dressed entirely in white.
Dîner en Blanc, as it is known, began 25 years ago Paris, and has since spread to hundreds of cities around the world.
Local organizers held the first Dîner en Blanc in 2012 at Jack Poole Plaza for 1,200 people. The 2013 Creekside Park event hosted 2,500 attendees with a wait list of 12,000. And, by this year, the waiting list had skyrocketed to 35,000, largely frustrated, hopefuls.
Due to the demand, organizers have been steadily increasing the event’s capacity each year.
In keeping with tradition, attendees are informed of the location at the last minute, and dropped off by bus on adjacent side streets to swarm the sidewalks like a human blizzard.
This year, the dinner experience was enhanced by performances by Vancouver Opera, extravagant set pieces, aerial acrobats, and a menu catered by Hawksworth.
Due to the interest in the Vancouver event, a separate Dîner en Blanc is scheduled for Whistler on Aug. 28.
(more photos below)
