One of Paris’s hautest annual bourgeois events, Dîner en Blanc (Dinner in White), is coming to Vancouver, and more than 700 people already have tickets.

Part upscale picnic, part monochromatic flashmob, Dîner en Blanc will bring 1,200 people together for an outdoor meal with tables, chairs, and linen at a location kept secret until one hour before the event.

“It’s the essence of joie de vivre,” explained Tyson Villeneuve, the French host of Vancouver’s upcoming Dîner en Blanc, set for Aug. 30.

“For four hours, friends and complete strangers come together all dressed in white for a pop-up sophisticated picnic and dinner, and then drink wine, drink champagne, and have a good time. It’s about good food, good people, good atmosphere and then they leave and take everything with them.”

The dining trend began in 1988 and has since spread from France to more than 15 countries around the world. Four years ago Montreal became the first North American city to host one, and this month Toronto and Quebec City will also host Dîners of their own.

Villeneuve didn’t offer any hints about where Vancouver’s will be, except to say it will be in a beautiful, iconic location.

“In Paris, they’ve done it on the Champs-Élysées, where it started — there’s 15,000 people that go every year in Paris — they’ve done it in front of the Louvre Museum, they’ve done it in front of the Eiffel Tower, in front of Notre Dame, all these iconic locations,” he said.

“Taking after Paris, I really wanted to have people look at the photos from the global website and go, ‘Wow. That’s Vancouver.’”

Tickets must be purchased in twos, and work out to $30 each once all fees are in. Buyers have the option of packing in their own fancy entrées, or adding on a gourmet meal cooked onsite by Top Chef Canada winner Dale MacKay for $40 to $50. Wine must be purchased online and in advance with tickets.

For details and tickets, visit dinerenblanc.info.

Bon appétit!