On the eve of the Met Gala, one of the world's largest annual fashion events, New York City residents will have the chance to celebrate their own individuality in Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn Public Library will celebrate its own annual "The People's Ball" on May 1, a free-to-all event where anyone can express their unique style and walk the runway in a safe, inclusive space.

The celebration will be held in the grand lobby of the library system's Central Library at Grand Army Plaza and this year, honors the 125th birthday of the Brooklyn Public Library.

A variety of special guests will attend the celebration, including the hosts, authors Isaac Fitzgerald and Scaachi Koul, and performances by artists including Rimarkable, Inyang Bassey, Operage Gang, and Paris the Hip-Hop Jugler.

"Open and welcoming to all, the People's Ball is a chance to showcase Brooklynites in all of our creative, idiosyncratic, resilient glory," says Linda E. Johnson, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Public Library. "We are thrilled to welcome people from across the borough to celebrate one another in one of the most democratic and creative spaces in the borough."

Other guests include fashion curator Souleo, Grandassa models from the history African American fashion show, "Naturally '62," Lenape Center co-founder Joe Baker, models from the Harlem Institute of Fashion's "HARLEM WEEK" runway shows, and multi-disciplinary artist and fashion designer Damien Jöel, a distinguished alumnus of the library's BKLYN Fashion Academy.

While masks are not required for the celebration, they are strongly encouraged by organizers. And while the event is free, RSVPs are encouraged.

"Brooklyn is home to some of the most diverse communities on the planet. The People's Ball is a celebration of free expression and creativity; we ask our guests to show up simply as they are," says László Jakab Orsós, vice president of Arts and Culture at Brooklyn Public Library. "Over the past 125 years, Brooklyn Public Library has always been committed to embracing our incredible Brooklyn community. This event is a celebration of the best that Brooklyn has to offer."