LEWISTON — It will be all about elegance, etiquette and people from diverse backgrounds coming together to eat and socialize in Lewiston’s Dufresne Plaza on Friday, June 29, at the area’s second outdoor Diner en Blanc.

Oh, and everybody who attends will be wearing all white.

They will also provide their own tables, chairs, food and beverages for the outdoor chic picnic, scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. in the plaza adjacent to 84 Lisbon St.

The event is modeled after the Diner en Blanc initiated in Paris in 1988 by Francois Pasquier who held a dinner party to reconnect with friends after spending several years abroad. Because so many wanted to attend, he asked them to meet at the Bois de Boulogne and to dress in white, so they could find each other. The event is now emulated in cities worldwide, with Paris’ Diner en Blanc drawing close to 15,000 people each year.

Attendees will be able to set up a folding table and chairs with white tablecloths in Dufresne Plaza between 5 and 6 p.m. Some tables will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

Michele Choiniere, an award-winning Smithsonian Folkways recording artist, will perform original Franco-influenced folk music during the picnic. She sings in both French and English.

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.

The Diner en Blanc will be held in conjunction with the second Art Walk Lewiston Auburn, involving 18 locations on downtown Lisbon Street from Captive Elements Art House to J. Dostie Jewelers.

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