UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Spring on the Upper East Side means one thing: celebrities will soon be descending upon the neighborhood to pose on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, clad in eye-catching couture and surrounded by swarms of photographers.
The 2026 Met Gala is happening on Monday, May 4, and is hosted, as always, by the Met's Costume Institute.
The event is an annual fundraiser for the self-funded department. Last year's gala brought in $31,000,000 — a new record in the event's 77-year history.
The theme this year is "Costume Art," coinciding with the museum's upcoming fashion art exhibition with the same name.
The exhibit, opening on May 10 at the museum, focuses on the relationship between fashion and the human body, pairing artworks with costumes, with themes including "Naked Body," "Pregnant Body" and more.
The dress code for the gala this year is "Fashion is Art," which could be interpreted as permission to wear a Picasso or wear something body-conscious that explores the exhibit's theme.
Vogue magazine — whose owner, Condé Nast, sponsors the Met Gala — will be livestreaming on its website and on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter starting 6 p.m. Eastern on Monday.
Additionally, venerable red-carpet network E! will also go live from the museum steps at 6 p.m. Monday.
This year's co-chairs will be Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and, of course, Anna Wintour, Conde Nast's Global Chief Content Officer.
The Host Committee includes Zoë Kravitz, Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, LISA (BLACKPINK), Teyana Taylor, Sam Smith, and Misty Copeland.
The Cast of The Devil Wears Prada 2, including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt will also likely be there.
The event is being financially backed in part by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez-Bezos, who are serving as lead donors and honorary co-chairs.
New York City mayors have historically attended the gala, but notably anti-billionaire Mayor Zohran Mamdani will not be attending, according to reports.
Upper East Siders can expect street closures on Fifth Avenue between East 79th and 86th streets at the discretion of the NYPD.
Try the Pierre Hotel on East 61st Street and Fifth Avenue, The Carlyle Hotel on East 76th Street and Madison Avenue, the Mark Hotel on East 77th Street and Madison Avenue and the Surrey Hotel on East 76th Street and Madison Avenue.
The Met is located at 1000 Fifth Ave.
For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.
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