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Attention Snobs: A Private ‘Chic Picnic’ is Coming to Bondi Beach
Just when you thought Bondi couldn’t have any more douchebags roaming its streets, 5,000-person ‘posh picnic’ is heading to Australia’s most iconic beach next month. Titled Dinner en Blanc, or ‘White Dinner’, Waverley Council has recently agreed to rope off a private section of the sand on November 12. As you’d expect, local residents have raised concerns about the hiring of public spaces for corporate events, saying it’s against the nature of the communal area.
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According to a report from the Sydney Morning Herald, Diner en Blanc coughed up AU$32,411 to secure their spot on the sand – a space usually free for locals, tourists and most importantly, influencers (which we suspect have already purchased the AU$93 tickets + $15 membership fee).
“Thousands of people, dressed all in white, and conducting themselves with the greatest decorum, elegance, and etiquette, all meet for a mass “chic picnic” in a public space,” the event’s website says in the most infuriatingly cringe tone possible.
“There are no disruptions: no car traffic, no pedestrian traffic—only amazed and astonished looks from passersby observing the scene before them.”
“Participants, like spectators, wonder whether it’s all not a dream…”
We apologise if you just puked all over your phone, computer or tablet. Let’s all clean ourselves up and get through the rest of this together.
The shameless guests will bring their own picnic or pre-order a hamper to the party, with only wine or champagne allowed to be consumed inside the perimeter marked by lighting and a one-metre fence.
“Participants register online, dress elegantly all in white, bringing their own white tables, chairs, crockery, cutlery and a white garbage bag to take away their own refuse,” according to publicly available council documents.
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While the event should be cancelled for its wanky concept alone, Bondi Beach Precinct co-convenor Lenore Kulakauskas said there’s zero justification for trying to make money out of “this precious space”.
“It does not have a ‘to let’ sign hanging on it,” she said. “Privatisation of the beach for single functions or proposals is against the egalitarian nature of this space.”
The White Dinner has sparked more concerns about the privatisation of public space. In 2020, Waverley Council was considering a bid to create an elite ‘Amalfi Beach Club’ on Bondi Beach, where people could pay AU$80 to enter a roped-off section on the sand that included fine dining and drink options. Luckily, a mass uproar from locals and media personalities prevented its approval.
This isn’t Europe, mate.
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Sam Mangioni
Sam Mangioni is an experienced Staff Writer with an extensive background in digital content production and news. Prior to working for Man of Many, Sam spent three years at Southern Cross Austereo where he served as a Content Producer and News Reporter for the flagship Triple M Breakfast Program. The Sydney-based reporter completed a Bachelor of Commerce from Macquarie University Majoring in Marketing in 2014. A specialist in sport, lifestyle and gear coverage, Sam's work has also featured in Fight News Australia.
