The Brooklyn Library ‘People’s Ball’ returns after a four-year hiatus

By Brooklyn Magazine Staff

Has your invitation to the Met Gala got lost in the mail again? If so, Brooklyn Public Library is throwing a less stuffy ball of its own just one night before that other event.

The People’s Ball, which is returning after a roughly four-year hiatus, is a free event for people of “all stripes to express their individuality and flaunt their unique style,” according to the library. The ball will be thrown on May 1 at Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library location at Grand Army Plaza.

The dress code might be slightly less opulent compared to the more elite (and elitist) gala at the Met, but it promises to be just as eye catching.

Organizers said in a press release that it encourages guests of the inclusive event to “showcase the colors, textures, and styles that make up the city’s urban runway,” meaning that Pizza Rat costume that has been sitting in the closet for the past few years can finally be worn again.

Sunday’s event is aimed at celebrating the library’s 125th anniversary and will include several musical performances as well as food and drink specials.

“Brooklyn is home to some of the most diverse communities on the planet,” said László Jakab Orsós, vice president of arts and culture at BPL, in a release. “The People’s Ball is a celebration of free expression and creativity; we ask our guests to show up simply as they are.”

RSVP’s are required, masks are “encouraged” and guests have to be fully vaccinated.

BPL’s commitment to inclusivity and free expression extends beyond Brooklyn and this event. Earlier this month, the library made national headlines for offering free digital library cards for kids aged between 13 to 21 for “Books Unbanned,” an initiative aimed at combatting the growing number of U.S. libraries banning books for various silly reasons.

A good number of targeted books “were for a teen audience and were by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ persons,” the library said.