Anyone who admires the glitz and celebrity appearances every year at the iconic Met Gala has the opportunity to live a similar experience without an invitation and completely free!

The People’s Ball is an open annual event held in New York City by the Brooklyn Public Library.

The People’s Ball showcases fashion and features the full celebrity experience — a red carpet, professional photography and a visual feast of stunning outfits — but unlike the Met Gala, where a ticket costs about $30,000 and a table costs $275,000, here everything is free and no invitation required.

This year, the event will take place on Sunday, April 30 at the Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park in New York City (if you’re there, get your gear on and take a walk).

The reasoning behind the open gala

The event began under the baton of László Jakab Orsós, the first appointed vice president for arts and culture at the library.

“High fashion events like the Met Gala are often so closed off, leaving out New Yorkers who are just as deserving of the spotlight,” said Orsós, speaking to Hyperallergic.

“At the heart of the People’s Ball is the idea that everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves in authentic, dynamic and diverse ways.”

The program

The event did not take place in 2019 and 2020 and was postponed to 2021 due to the increase in Covid-19 cases. However, last year it returned with an impressive lineup of designers and performers, including Paris the Hip-Hop Juggler and Opera Gaga.

This year, soul singer Cunio and DJ Remarkable will be in attendance.

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The awards show will be hosted by artist Mickalene Thomas along with fashion event curator and author Souleo; Souleo was invited to work on the event last year after working on a library exhibit for the Black is Beautiful stream.

In addition, for the first time, five “People’s Heroes” will be announced, persons with a significant contribution to the field of culture and the lives of New Yorkers.