Hope Gardens in St Andrew

was a sea of pure white, as fashionable patrons decked out in all-white attire

waited to be shuttled to the secret location of Diner en Blanc Kingston, on

Saturday, November 30.

The anticipation and

excitement were visibly high, as guests with picnic baskets in hand converged

at the location.

A prime feature of the

dinner party is the high level of secrecy that surrounds the location of the

venue. To add to the attendees’ surprise and amusement, the location was

literally a two-minute walk away from the departure point, on another section

of the Hope Gardens property! Of course, no one had a clue!

Celebrating its fourth staging

in Jamaica, the Diner en Blanc venue was beautifully decorated in white, with

tables, chairs, tablecloths and napkins set out for the 600 patrons to assemble

their picnic spot.

While seated and awaiting

the start of the gourmet dinner, which was mostly taken to the venue by the

patrons, they were entertained by melodic sounds from violinist and singer Ziah

and saxophonist Verlando Small, who set

the mood for an evening of elegance and grandeur!

Some patrons also opted to

have their food provided by one of three caterers – Tooksie Kay

Catering, Broken Plate and Whip It Up.

A highlight of the

gastronomic event, patrons were invited to wave their napkins to indicate the

start of dinner at about 6 p.m. Tantalising food was paired with wine and

champagne – a night of magic under the stars.

BUZZ caught up with one of the four hosts of the event, Imani Duncan-Price, who shared that Diner en Blanc Kingston is different from the typical party because “every single guest helps to create the magic.”

“They (patrons) are bringing

the food from home or ordering food from our caterers and they themselves

really make it special and unique,” she said.

“When we all come together

and set up, everyone feels they actually have a say and a part in DEB

Kingston.”

She also said that having

the background of the event in some of the most beautiful locations in Jamaica

and finding local talents to entertain guests add to the elegance and style of

Diner en Blanc.

Table and group leader

Reshma Vaswani told BUZZ that Diner en Blanc is about friendship, togetherness,

creativity and making the event your own.

“You have to make your table look boasty, so some people bring their finest Chinaware and cutlery while others go for a simpler look, and it’s amazing to see how people are so diverse,” she said.

See more highlights from Diner en Blanc Kingston in the gallery below.

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Her table enjoyed meals from

Tooksie Kay Catering and the table décor was provided by her company, Every

Frilly Thing.

At about 8 p.m., guests lit

up the night with sparklers to signify the end of the meal. DJ Narity and

Bloodline Franco then kept the partygoers on their feet with crowd-favourite

musical selections, as they mingled and danced the night away under the stars.

With its genesis in Paris, France, Diner en Blanc is a 30-year-old tradition that is celebrated across six continents and the Caribbean.

— Written by Sabriena Simpson