Where will the 8th annual Diner en Blanc take place? Clues are in the theme

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By KYW Newsradio 1060
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The 2019 date of Philadelphia's biggest annual pop-up dinner has been revealed.

At a preview party on Tuesday at the Bourse Food Hall, officials announced the eighth annual Diner en Blanc will take place on Aug. 22.

"The date is the big reveal," said co-host Natanya Dibona, "and this one's important to reveal because it's not the third Thursday (anymore). It's the fourth Thursday this year."

Participants can register for the event beginning in July and sign up for a two-person space. For those who have never dined en blanc before, the concept of the event is everyone brings their own table, chairs, food and drink to the dinner location, which isn't revealed until just before it starts. Everyone must dress all in white.

Then, party-goers meet up with a group leader and head to the secret location together.

"And there's so much creativity that's out there," said Dibona. "People really bring string lights and just do it up. We always say to be mindful of what you can carry on your shoulders."

This year, she anticipates 6,000 attendees. 

The preview party included a table decorating contest, and the winner's design illustrated the city's former Bastille Day celebrations at Eastern State Penitentiary. The theme of the contest was "showing off festivals and celebrations."

While Dibona, of course, wouldn't share the location of this year's event, she did say the winning table is a clue. She offered another hint:

"I can't say much, but there is a little bit of symbolism in where we picked and 'eight,' " she said.

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Previous Diner en Blanc pop-up picnic locations have included the Logan Square fountain, the bridge in front of 30th Street Station, South Broad Street, the Navy Yard, the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Franklin Square, and Dilworth Park.

For more on what to expect at Diner en Blanc, subscribe to the What's Cooking podcast on the RADIO.COM app.