Des Moines' most unique dinner spot is a secret

How it works: On the day of the event, Sept. 6, organizers Kristen Meyers and Rhonda Greenway will share the location on the group's Facebook page.

• Bring everything you would need for dinner, from your own table and chairs to a simple picnic blanket and basket.
• Carry your own food, drinks and a way to pack your trash.
• Dress in white.

How it started: Larry Cleverly, a farmer in Mingo, was inspired by Le Diner en Blanc in Paris, a surprise dinner event that's grown into a global event.

• Cleverly, who began it in Des Moines in 2011, co-organized the annual dinners with Sheila and Rachel Formaro.

State of play: Meyers and Greenway decided to take up the mantle this year after attending the event for the first time in 2024 and loving it, including the surprise location: Woodland Cemetery.

• For this year, the only hint they've offered so far is that parking and bathrooms will be easily accessible.

Plus: There will be a competition for best table setting that aligns with the theme, La Belle Époque.

• But your dinner can also be as simple as bringing takeout, Greenway says.
• "It's your moment to be as extra as you want," Greenway says.

Flashback: The event harks back to simpler times in the 2000s — when flash mobs confused commuters on New York City subways or hundreds of people suddenly danced in city squares.

• "I definitely think people will just randomly see this and be confused and delighted," Meyers says.

If you go: 6pm Sept. 6, location TBD.