White WASHED! 5,000 high society diners are absolutely drenched in torrential downpour from Tropical Storm Barry as New York’s exclusive ‘Diner En Blanc’ descends into chaos amid mass evacuation
- Revellers dressed all in white were lashed with torrential rain in Battery Park, New York Wednesday evening
- Tropical Storm Barry hit the city on Wednesday with thunder, lightning and rain coming down hard all day
- More than 5,000 people braved the weather for the exclusive event but it was eventually called off early
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New York’s exclusive ‘Diner En Blanc’ descended into chaos on Wednesday as rains from Tropical Storm Barry drenched guests and sent them running for cover.
The event, which sees thousands of revellers don white outfits for an al fresco dining experience, takes place in a different location each year and was held in the city’s famous Battery Park.
But the 5,000-strong contingent of guests were forced to do battle with the element as they stepped out to attend the glitzy dinner.
Pictures showed them throwing on waterproofs and holding enormous umbrellas as torrential rains threatened to spoil the evening.
The dinner did go ahead as planned despite thunder and lightning striking nearby buildings in Manhattan – but was eventually called off earlier than scheduled.
This year, there were more than 60,000 people on the waiting list for an invitation to the New York edition, which is in its ninth year.
The original ‘Diner En Blanc’ began in France 30 years ago and has evolved to include destinations around the world.
A huge lightning bolt strikes a building in New Jersey across the Hudson River as guests at the exclusive event attempt to take cover
Participants shelter from the rain during the annual Diner en Blanc on Wednesday evening. Guests were drenched and forced to take cover from Tropical Storm Barry
The event was called off earlier than scheduled as diners were forced to deal with the torrential conditions by putting up umbrellas
Revellers sheltering under scaffolding near the park as the rain came down on Wednesday evening during the famous dinner
Attendees began to evacuate Manhattan’s Battery Park as heavy rain fell at the fancy 2019 NYC Diner en Blanc dining event
Guests dressed in white fled Battery after the annual Diner En Blanc event was called off because of the heavy showers
Revelers fled from the pouring rain at the annual Diner En Blanc in Nelson Rockefeller Park in Manhattan. More than 5500 guests gathered for the yearly pop-up party, which was cancelled early due to heavy rain, thunder, and lightning
People seemed to be enjoying themselves as the rains temporarily stopped, allowing people to put away the waterproofs and umbrellas
The exclusive event was attended by more than 5,000 people, with over 60,000 in total applying for tickets in a fiercely competitive ballot