Basel - White Dinner

Basel - White Dinner, Table by the Rhine

One event I haven’t reported back on yet this year is the White Dinner that was held in Basel. I hadn’t realized at the time I went, but apparently this is organized on the same night in many cities. Basically, a large outdoor venue is set aside – with any luck, somewhere fairly dramatic or picturesque – tables are set up, and literally thousands of people turn up to have their dinner. Everyone has to wear only white from top to toe. You can purchase a white picnic basket with white cutlery and white plates (although red wine is provided!). The tables are covered with white tablecloths, you buy a white fold-up chair to use (and take home).

You pay to attend, but entertainment of dancers, people on stilts, magicians, etc is provided.

It was supposed to happen in Zurich the year I left, but it was cancelled due to the mystery location being a disappointment and leading to lack of interest, if I recall correctly. This year, it happened for the first time in Basel (maybe even the first time in Switzerland) and the whole of the old town and the bridges across the Rhine in Basel were set up as one large, open-air restaurant. Traffic could no longer enter the centre; trams stopped running.

Getting there on the tram before it started, you could easily tell who was going to come along; I’d never seen so many people around all dressed in white. People chatted to each other or those not going along would look on in interest. A friendly atmosphere dominated in the streets and in the trams as everyone prepared to share an experience. I believe 4000 people attended in Basel.

I was part of a table of 8 people and we had a table on the central bridge, adjoined to another group of 8 people. As with everything this year in Zurich, I was incredibly lucky and the weather held. It was September, so by no means a given that the night would be warm and clear. We took along some food and wine in addition to that provided in the picnic baskets.

For me, it was good to meet some new people and it was the first time I’d been in the centre of Basel for a while. There’s usually a competition between Zurich and Basel, with those from each city thinking that their location is the superior one. Anyway, this was the first time I’d really socialized with a group of Basel converts and for the first time I could really see the attraction of Basel – I could agree that it appeared to be a friendlier, more down-to-earth place than Zurich, and it’s lovely to see the river flowing through the centre.

I was a bit annoyed with myself for drinking too much and thus losing much of the next day (which was also the last proper outdoor swimming day of the year!), but it was all good!