The second annual Dîner en Blanc is taking over Toronto, proving that wearing white isn’t strictly for communions, weddings and non-descript stadium festivals. The highly anticipated event has been in operation for 25 years, and its arrival in the city last year solidified Toronto as a certified dining destination.

Started as a word of mouth event in Paris by François Pasquier and a few friends, the event has expanded to become a worldwide phenomenon with iterations in major cities across the globe. Despite drizzling rain at the Toronto event last year (held at Fort York), this year’s event boasts one of the most highly sought after invites of the summer.

Dîner en Blanc thrives on almost cult-like secrecy combined with country club level exclusivity. Invites are highly elusive; they are sent out in three phases and can only be obtained through a previous guest. Dîner en Blanc provides the perfect juxtaposition of spontaneity and strategy — invitees are kept in the dark, or rather ‘en blanc’, about the event until only a few hours before but must adhere to established dress and conduct codes. With only two weeks left till the event, everyone will be waiting with bated breath until the moment when the sea of white takes over the streets.