LEWISTON — Dufresne Plaza will take on an atmosphere of elegance and etiquette on June 29 when Lewiston-Auburn  residents come together for a mass “chic picnic,” during which Michele Choiniere will perform original Franco-influenced folk music. 

L/A Arts in conjunction with Art Walk Lewiston Auburn will present the area’s second outdoor Diner en Blanc, a pop-up party based on a Parisian party of the same name that began in 1988 as a reunion of 100 friends, with everyone wearing white in order to recognize one another. 

Paris’ Diner en Blanc, initiated by Francois Pasquier with just a handful of friends, now draws close to 15,000 people each year. Some of Paris’ most famous sites where such flash mob gatherings have been held include the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Pyramid, Chateau de Versailles, Esplanade de Notre-Dame, Champs-Elysees, Place de la Concorde Carousel du Louvre.

The idea is to bring together people from diverse backgrounds, conducting themselves with the greatest decorum, who share a love of beauty and good taste. 

Cities worldwide will participate in the event, including those selected as members of the official Diner en Blanc International Inc. network. They are Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Singapore, Mexico City, Sydney and Brisbane, Barcelona and Kigali (Rwanda).

Guests are asked to provide their own tables, seating, food and beverage for the outdoor event, which in Lewiston-Auburn’s case, will be from 6 to 8 p.m. in the plaza adjacent to 84 Lisbon St. 

Guests, who are asked to dress in all white, will be able to set up a folding table and chairs with white tablecloths between 5 and 6 p.m., prior to Choiniere’s performance. Some tables will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. 

If it rains, the event will be held in Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library. Tables and chairs would be provided at the rain site, though guests would still provide their food and drink.

Choiniere, who performs in both French and English, is an award-winning Smithsonian Folkways recording artist. Born into a musical Franco-American family in northern Vermont, she began performing traditional Franco-American music at an early age with her father, Fabio, an accomplished harmonica player.

In 1995, she began writing and composing her own songs and has performed to audiences throughout New England, Quebec and France. Her lyrics and music focus on nature, romance and social issues associated with being Franco-American.

Choiniere’s performances blend traditional Franco-American and Quebec folk songs, original compositions, jazz standards and an occasional French classic.

She has been featured on TV5 International’s “Visions d’Amerique” as well as on Vermont Public Television’s “Rural Delivery” and “Profile.” She recorded an archival family collection of Franco-American music with her father and is featured on the Smithsonian Folkways CD, “Mademoiselle Voulez-Vous Danser: Franco-American music from the New England Borderlands,” released in 1999. In 2003, she self-released her debut solo album, “Coeur Fragile,” following up with her 2010 release of “La Violette.”

Members of Choiniere’s band include violinist David Gusakov, mandolinist Will Patton and guitarist Dono Schabner. Gusakov’s lifetime career as a violinist has ranged from classical, as a member of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra since 1973, to hard-driving bluegrass with Pine Island and Banjo Dan & The Midnight Plowboys. He has performed with Emmylou Harris, Peter Rowan and John Denver. 

Patton, who is also well known for his  bass playing, draws a strong influence from jazz, gypsy and Brazilian music. He teaches jazz mandolin at Jay Ungar and Molly Mason’s Ashokan Camp and theDjango in June Festival at Smith College. His bands have opened for Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt and Van Morrison.

Schabner started playing professional guitar at age 12 with Italian wedding bands. At 17, he hit the road to play R&B around the United States, Caribbean and elsewhere. Now an educator, he works in northern Vermont and plays guitar.

For more information, contact L/A Arts at 782-7228 or send an email to mail@laarts.org.

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