Fête en Blanc. Somers Point does April in Paris
By Marci Lutsky
If you see a large crowd gathered on April 13th all dressed in white in Somers Point, you may find yourself doing a double take. Your eyes will not be deceiving you. This is the evening when the third annual Fête en Blanc will take place which is part of April in Paris. All during the month of April, activities are planned by the Somers Point Unique Experiences Club in cooperation with the Somers Point Business Association to bring French culture to the Jersey shore.
So what does wearing white have to do with French culture? Diner en Blanc is a concept that began in 1988 in Paris when a Frenchman invited friends to an elegant outdoor dinner party and told them to wear white so that they could find each other. The event now spans six continents. While Somers Point Fête en Blanc is not officially connected to Diner en Blanc, the concept is the same. The location of the gathering will not be disclosed until April 13th. Attendees are instructed to wear all white, bring their own table, chairs, tablecloth and three-course meal.
While guests are not required to only bring white food, they are encouraged to do so in the spirit of Fête en Blanc. For those who do not want to cook, Gregory’s and Fitzpatrick’s are offering special menus that Fête en Blanc attendees can order to go. A cash bar will be available as well as live music and entertainment. To encourage people to be playful with the white theme, awards will be given in three categories including best dressed, best tablescape and best in show.
Can anyone just show up for Fête en Blanc? The answer is no. Seating will be limited to 100 people. If you missed out on purchasing tickets, unfortunately they are no longer available so keep an eye out for next year’s event registration. Tickets are $40 per couple and include two drinks. The event is always held outside and under a heated tent in the event of inclement weather. Last year Fête en Blanc was held at William Morrow Beach in Somers Point. I’m excited to see what the location will be this year.
Fête en Blanc is intended to be an experiential event. Dressing in white and bringing one’s own table, chairs and food may not be everyone’s idea of a good time. However, if you like being in the company of people who enjoy the journey and not just the destination, this may be for you. A lot of planning goes into preparing to attend Fête en Blanc from choosing a white outfit to packing a three-course meal.
If you would like more information about Fête en Blanc or April in Paris activities, you can visit: https://aprilinparissp.weebly.com. As a former French teacher who sometimes feels like this area is lacking in cultural experiences, I think April in Paris is a fantastic way for people to connect with others who are interested in French culture. Besides Fête en Blanc, many other wonderful activities are planned like a screening of a French movie at Gregory’s on April 14th, a French wine course at Passion Vines on three Mondays and a night of jazz at Clancy’s by the Bay on April 12th. We are fortunate to have so many interesting and fun cultural activities close to home in the month of April!
Marci Lutsky is a local mom of eight year-old twins and can be reached at veggingattheshore@gmail.com.
