by Carolyn Noel, intern, UMass ’19
WESTFIELD – On May 19, 2019 Westfield will turn a monumental 350 years old. In order to celebrate this occasion, the Westfield 350 committee is putting on events and activities to commemorate our city’s birthday. The first event will take place on December 31, 2018 with Westfield’s First Night.
Before this celebration begins, however, fundraising events are being held to raise money for the signature events to come. On August 11, 2018 from 6 to 10 p.m. the Westfield 350 is hosting “Let’s Dine in White Tonight,” an evening to be filled with music, dancing and fun.
Participants dressed in white take part in the White Dinner, at the Invalides gardens, in Paris, Sunday, June 3, 2018. A similar event will be taking place in Westfield on August 11, 2018. Residents will prepare their own picnic dinner and be dressed in all-white outfits for a meal at a location that will be revealed the day of the event. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The idea for this dinner originated in early European culture, specifically France. In France, the event is called “Dîner en Blanc” and it is an invite-only secret dinner party that descends upon a different location each year. Attendees wear all white, bring their own food and drink to eat, and then swiftly leave after the meal. The most exciting part: attendees do not know the exact location of the dinner until the day of the event.
“You go and then you leave and nobody really even knew you were there. It’s fun, it’s exciting. Everything you bring in you take out,” Theresa Allie, chair of Westfield’s own Dinner in White event says.
The same rules will apply to the Westfield event: Attendees are encouraged to dress in all white (it is optional, but it is definitely more fun!) and bring their own picnic dinner, including their white linens and china, and they will not be informed of the location until the day of.
Tickets are $25 per person and people are encouraged to coordinate with friends and family to buy out a whole table of 8-10 people. Tickets may be purchased online at westfield350.org/dineinwhite or in person at Pilgrim Candle in Westfield.
Each table will have its own centerpiece that can be decorated and the winning centerpieces will win prizes. Other raffles will also be occurring throughout the evening.
There will be live music provided by a local band, Bad News Jazz & Blues Orchestra, and there will be a beer and wine cash bar available.
On the day of the event, those who purchased tickets will either receive a phone call or text with the secret location revealed, or you can check out the Westfield 350 Facebook page that day to find out as well.
The Westfield 350 Committee is expecting a big turnout for this event, so people are encouraged to buy their tickets as soon as possible to make sure they are included as seating is limited.
“It’s something new and we’ve never done it before. It’s going to be really fun to see how creative people are and what they do with it,” Allie said.
For more info on this fundraising event, visit the Westfield 350’s website or call 413-455-5483.
