Thousands Gather For Elaborate 'Dinner In White' In Battery Park City

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Imagine an elaborate, flash mob, dinner party with thousands of your new-found friends. It's one of the biggest summer events in New York City, and it's all a mystery until guests arrive.

As CBS 2's Tracee Carrasco reported, it isn't your typical picnic in the park. Nearly 5,000 people dressed head to toe in white trekked through the city, hauling tables, chairs, dishes, food, decor, and more for the Diner En Blanc, which translates from French to 'Dinner In White.'

"It's debonaire, It's French, it's elegant, it's perfect, it's really New York City," Barbara Burnett said.

"You get to meet all kinds of different new people from all over the city and have a dinner party together," Alex Wallach added.

The location of the 4th annual over the top, flash mob, dinner party, is top-secret until the very last-minute. Groups meet up and then head to a mystery spot, leaving attendees guessing and adding to the excitement.

"It's kind of fun to know where you're going and then have no idea where it's going to end up," Bryan Bennett said.

Previous locations were Bryant Park and Lincoln Center. This year the dinner was held at Nelson A. Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City, a picturesque waterfront park for diners to set up table and enjoy dinner.

"Each one of these people here tonight is in a sense a creator of this event and then they built it all together," Co-founder Sandy Safi said.

Organizers would not give any hints about the location of next year's dinner, but they did say that there is already a waiting list.

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