Guests at this year's Met Gala will need to be vaxxed and masked
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Get ready to see some pretty elaborate face masks. The celebrities and other guests at this year's Met Gala on September 13 will need to wear face coverings and prove they're vaccinated against COVID-19, ABC Audio has confirmed.
A spokesperson for New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art noted, "Currently, all attendees at The Met Gala…must provide proof of full vaccination and will also be expected to wear masks indoors except when eating or drinking," adding that guidelines will be updated "as needed."
The news comes a day after New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio announced vaccines will be required for patrons seeking admittance to restaurants, gyms, and most every indoor space in the city.
The Met Museum itself currently requires face coverings even if visitors are vaccinated.
Earlier this year, the organizers behind Vogue's traditionally gonzo gala — technically called the Costume Institute Benefit — announced dates for two bashes: The first, a "more intimate" gathering on September 13, will highlight an exhibition of the same name, "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion," which opens September 18 at the Anna Wintour Costume Center. The 2021 event will also commemorate the Costume Institute's 75th birthday; the festivities were cancelled outright in 2020 over coronavirus concerns.
The 2022 Costume Institute Benefit, the Met Gala's official name, will be held on May 2, 2022.
Officially, the Met Galas benefit The Costume Institute, "with its primary source of annual funding for exhibitions, publications, acquisitions, operations, and capital improvements." Unofficially, the parties have become a place where celebrities show off outrageous red carpet outfits, such as Jared Leto's infamous decapitated head ensemble, and Lady Gaga's 25-foot-long Brandon Maxwell fuchsia pink cape gown.