A sea of white filled downtown Columbia the Sunday before Labor Day as more than 150 people gathered for an elegant outdoor “Dinner in White” that organizers hope will become a late-summer staple — and grow to twice its size next year.
The event, patterned after the Paris-born “Dîner en Blanc” concept, asked guests to dress head to toe in white and bring everything for their own picnic, from tables and chairs to china and centerpieces. Organizer and event planner Twyla Swanner said she was inspired years ago after reading about the Paris gathering, which began when a man with a small apartment invited friends to meet in a park, all dressed in white so they could spot one another in the crowd.
For Columbia’s version, Swanner secured permission from Mayor Justin McKenzie to close a section of Main Street, creating a long corridor of tables under the open sky. A jazz band from Southern Miss played from a small stage near the former Sweet Olive storefront as rows of white-clad diners lined both sides of the blocked-off street.
Swanner said she originally envisioned a smaller setup, but the city gave the group more room than expected, allowing tables to run in straight lines down the street with the courthouse as a backdrop. She added that next year she plans to shift even closer to the courthouse to extend the table layout and further showcase the historic building.
Although guests could bring anything from sushi to fried chicken, the rules were strict when it came to presentation: no paper plates, plastic cups or styrofoam were allowed. Diners were urged to pack picnic baskets, proper dinnerware and portable tables and chairs, with some groups opting for eight-foot tables and elaborate décor while most couples and small groups brought more modest setups for two or four people.
Swanner emphasized that the goal was an “elevated dining experience” that participants create themselves. One local social media influencer even constructed a frame over the table to hang votive candles, adding to the atmosphere that Swanner described as “just a beautiful night” with pleasant temperatures and a steady breeze.
Tickets were sold for $10 through Eventbrite, with proceeds used to pay the band, and each ticket came with a written list of 10 rules explaining what to bring and what to avoid. The evening followed a simple timeline: guests arrived around 7:30 p.m. to set up, dinner began at 8 p.m. and at about 9:15 p.m., Swanner handed out three-foot-long sparklers that guests lit together to cap the night.
The event was open to anyone, Swanner said, and she promoted it heavily on Instagram with posts that automatically fed to Facebook, encouraging users to share with friends. Despite that, she heard from a few residents after the fact who complained they had not seen the posts and believed it was a private, invitation-only affair. The hope is that Columbians will be more aware of the event in future years to join in on the fun.
Swanner said feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many attendees saying they plan to return and bring friends. She believes attendance will more than double next year as word spreads about the atmosphere and the opportunity for guests to design their own tables, from simple settings to elaborate showpieces.
The concept is not new to Swanner, who previously staged similar dinners at Friendship Park from 2013 through 2016 before pausing the event. She brought it back downtown this year, insisting on keeping it on the Sunday before Labor Day to mark what she considers the symbolic end of summer and an ideal moment for white linen and outdoor dining.
City support and local cooperation helped the evening run smoothly, Swanner said. McKenzie personally came out on the day of the event to run a street sweeper along the closed block and nearby property owner Mickey Webb allowed organizers to use an exterior electrical outlet on his building to power the band’s equipment.
Guests were asked to bring garbage bags and haul out their own trash, with Swanner stressing that the group should leave the street “in better shape than when we found it.” She also shared tips online about portable tables and folding chairs, even pointing people toward rental options in Columbia if they did not already own suitable furniture.
With many residents already asking about next year’s date, Swanner said plans are underway to return to the same downtown block on the Sunday night before Labor Day, again with live music and the courthouse as the focal point. She expects more intricate table designs, more guests and another round of sparklers to light up the night as summer draws to a close.
For Swanner, an interior designer and longtime event planner, the appeal is as much about community as aesthetics. She said the format allows her to set her own table, enjoy the evening and visit with friends and strangers alike while everyone builds the experience together — one white table at a time.
