Met Gala 2021: Attendees Required To Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19, Will Be Served Vegan Food

The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Vogue are holding the traditional Met Ball this year despite the ongoing pandemic, and attendees are expected to follow the safety protocols in place.

After canceling last year’s Met Gala, the organizers of the annual fundraising event officially decided to bring back the much-anticipated gathering of the stars in New York City. Although the gala won’t be happening on its usual May schedule, the excitement for the event is undeniably picking up as preparations are underway ahead of the Sept. 13 fundraiser.

However, things will be very different this year compared to how the Met Ball was celebrated in the past, and it’s all because of the Big Apple’s vaccine mandate as well as the city’s imposed safety regulations on big gatherings, according to People.

Due to the mandate, attendees will be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before showing up at the ball. A spokesperson for The Met told the entertainment news outlet that those who are coming to the event will have to show proof of complete vaccination against the coronavirus.

Aside from the vaccine requirement, attendees will also be asked to wear masks at the event. They will only be allowed to take them off when eating or drinking. Other restrictions might also be put in place depending on the city’s guidelines.

“Currently, all attendees at The Met Gala on September 13 must provide proof of full vaccination and will also be expected to wear masks indoors except when eating or drinking. We will update these guidelines as needed,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Apart from the safety protocols, there is also a big change in the food that will be served to guests. Women’s Wear Daily has learned that the menu for the star-studded event will be entirely vegan after Anna Wintour tapped the services of the world’s biggest plant-based culinary chefs.

The theme for last year’s canceled fête was “About Time: Fashion and Duration.” This year, the organizers have decided to come up with a new theme — “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” as per Page Six.

The museum’s exhibition, which has become one of the grandest and most heavily attended red carpets by the biggest names in entertainment and fashion through the years, will be hosted by Billie Eilish, tennis star Naomi Osaka, poet and activist Amanda Gorman and Timothée Chalamet, alongside honorary chairs Tom Ford and Wintour.