What are celebrities doing in NYC before Met Gala?

Stars arrive early for Met Gala week in New York

A wave of celebrities has already started checking into New York City ahead of the 2026 Met Gala, with the first Monday in May marking the event’s official kickoff. This weekend, high-profile guests began landing in Manhattan, including visitors reportedly checking in at the Mark Hotel, a venue closely tied to Met Gala week activity.

That matters because Met Gala timing doesn’t just affect fashion calendars—it ripples into real-life planning for anyone who lives or works in the city. Early arrivals can mean heavier security presence around hotels, tighter traffic in neighborhoods where guests are staying, and more crowded restaurants and pre-party venues as stylists, assistants, and brand teams coordinate last-minute looks. The Met Gala is also more than a single night: it’s a multi-day run of fittings, parties, and logistics where even the smallest scheduling change can shift where people go and when.

For readers thinking about travel and cost in a busy week, Met Gala week is one of the few times all at once: room rates tend to move quickly, popular venues book up faster, and normal “walk-in” expectations can fail. If you’re going to be in NYC around the first Monday in May, planning ahead—especially around transport and reservations—becomes more important than usual.

Overall, the early celebrity arrivals signal that Met Monday isn’t a last-minute spectacle; it’s already in motion, and the city is adjusting in real time.