Summer officially begins in mid-June! In the US, we look forward to celebrating Flag Day on June 14, Juneteenth on June 19, and Father’s Day on June 16 this year. These celebrations hold significant historical meaning, which we cherish deeply.
In this article, I would like to talk about “Gala En Blanc,” hosted by the Itiah Angels for Learning organization to celebrate summer in a festive atmosphere. The theme is “Gala in White” which implies elegance, sophistication, community building, and the joy of shared cultural experiences in a beautiful venue located in the heart of Princeton, NJ.
“Gala En Blanc” is inspired by “Dîner en Blanc.” The mysterious “Dinner in White” or “Dîner en Blanc” is a worldwide event crossing six continents in which people have a meal dressed in white in a brief dining setup in a public space. Diners are required to provide their own food, tables, chairs, and tablecloths. Only a select number of people are made aware of the location the day of the dinner, and generally meet in well-known urban locations.
The Dîner en Blanc concept began in Paris in 1988 when François Pasquier invited a group of friends to a beautiful outdoor dinner at the Bois de Boulogne, requiring guests to dress in white so they could find each other which is the reason why it was named “Dinner in White.” The event’s attendance is said to have grown to over 85 cities, with almost 17,000 gathering for its 30th-anniversary event in Paris.
The concept was later introduced to Montreal, Canada, in 2009. In 2011, the first American “Dîner en Blanc” was held in New York City. The event has grown to have an attendance of more than 6,500 and a waiting list of over 80,000 people. In 2012, A partnership was later created between “Dîner en Blanc International Inc.”, and a Canadian company to develop the “Diner en Blanc” for network and license worldwide.
Some foods typically served at a Dîner en Blanc are shrimp cocktails, sandwiches, fruit salad, cheese platters, wraps, salads, salmon, and crab toast. Menus are carefully crafted to ensure that food is just as tasty when chilled as it is warm since these events are held outside.
“Gala En Blanc” is organized by many volunteers of IAFL, and our supporters come from around the world to rejoice in the name of doing good.“Gala En Blanc” will be held on July 27th, 2024 at 6pm. Just as in the 2023 “Gala of Angels”, it is expected to be a spectacular event to get together with friends, families, and relatives while singing, dancing, eating great food, listening to keynote speakers with silent auctions happening throughout the evening. The dress code for “Gala En Blanc” is white with gold accessories.
By Catherine Corrado – Undergraduate Graphic Design Student Fairleigh Dickinson University
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