Look out your summer whites - white gloves, white shoes, white hats; Le Dîner en Blanc is coming to Whistler.
It's the internationally renowned summer picnic, which takes picnicking to a whole new level. It will be held in Whistler on Thursday Aug. 28 and the location will remain a secret, as per the rules, until the last minute.
On Tuesday council approved a request for a catering license for an event of more than 500 people.
And so, Whistler will join the growing number of cities taking part in this unique dining experience. Roughly 10,000 people worldwide now take part annually and waiting lists are thousands long.
"All dressed in white and conducting themselves with the greatest decorum, elegance and etiquette, guests gather for a mass "chic picnic" in a public space," states Le Dîner en Blanc International's F.A.Q.
"Over the course of the evening, the diners enhance the function and value of their city's public space by participating in the unexpected. Beyond the spectacle and refined elegance of the dinner itself, guests are brought together from diverse backgrounds by a love of beauty and good taste."
The inaugural Whistler Le Dîner en Blanc will be held mid-week with a pre-determined capacity of 750 attendees.
"We're going to limit the capacity to give it a little trial," said Bob Andrea, manager of village animation and events in his report to council.
Kristen Robinson Productions is producing the event with hosts Andy Wadsworth and Anna Pellicci and Bearfoot Bistro Catering will provide liquor service.
The concept was born 25 years ago in Paris, launched by Francois Pasquier and 25 close friends.
Pasquier had just returned to Paris and wanted to have a dinner party to see his friends. He asked them to meet at Bois de Boulogne, and dress in white so they could recognize each other.
And so it began.
It recent years the picnic has reached a whole new level, as well as and around the world - Vancouver, Toronto, Las Vegas, San Diego, London, Barcelona, Stockholm, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Panama City, to name a few.
Check out http://whistler.dinerenblanc.info/ for more information. Guests will register to attend online and can follow updates via Faebook, Twitter and the website. Tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks.
Whistler Village Beer Festival
It's full steam ahead for the second annual Whistler Village Beer Festival, as it readies for the September event.
At Tuesday's meeting, council approved a Special Occasion License for more than 500 people at Whistler Olympic Plaza for Saturday Sept. 13 during the main event of the four-day festival. The maximum capacity is 4,500 for the licensed area for the event that will take place between 1 and 5:30 p.m.
"The goal of the Festival is to aid in increasing visits to Whistler," wrote Andrea, in his report to council.
At the main beer tasting event, roughly 50 beer companies and 150 beer brands will be represented on site.
Tickets will be $35. Festivalgoers will vote for their favourite beers and the winning beers will be served at participating licensed venues for one year.
