LaRian Finney and Derrick Chase always admired the Met Gala, the fundraising event that turns a New York museum’s steps into fashion’s most-watched runway one night a year.

They knew Baltimore was worthy of its own glitzy night — a reason to wear a head-turning outfit and celebrate regional talent.

“I thought Baltimore deserved that same type of lens,” Finney said.

In its fourth year, the Baltimore Met Gala, produced by Finney and Chase, will return to Live! Casino and Hotel in Hanover on Saturday night with a fashion show, an art exhibition, food by local chefs and more.

The 2025 theme is “Timeless — the Evolution of Style: Past, Present, Future,” a reminder, Finney said, that Baltimore’s cultural contributions in fashion, art and food matter more than ever, particularly as President Donald Trump is attacking the city.

“We thought it was an appropriate theme based not only on the [political] climate but to pay homage to what those three verticals have meant to” Baltimore and beyond, Finney said.

The gala has seen steady growth since it drew 400 people to the Baltimore Museum of Art in 2021. After a couple of years at the M&T Bank Exchange, the event moved last year to Live! Casino and Hotel, where approximately 1,600 people attended. Finney expects a similar headcount this weekend.

The event centers on the runway, where more than 80 models will show off fashion designs by Dermaine Johnson, Andrew Nowell, Afua Sam and more.

Sam said the theme immediately brought Africa to mind. Her womens wear line for Saturday’s show will include bright-colored prints popular in Ghana and other parts of the continent.

It will be “very colorful,” the Silver Spring resident said. “I want everybody to just smile when they see it. I also hope that it will inspire people to actually incorporate African prints into their wardrobe.”

At the Met Gala, which will be hosted by WBAL-TV anchor Megan Rivers, the emphasis is on fine art, too. The “Timeless” art exhibit, curated by artists Ainsley Burrows, Ernest Shaw and Laurielle Noel, will feature original works from the curators, along with Baltimore artists including Qrcky, Alma Roberts and Melissa Sutherland Moss.

QR codes will be on display near the art so interested attendees can buy a piece or arrange a commissioned work directly with the artists, Burrows said.

To Burrows, who grew up in New York, the Baltimore Met Gala showcases another artform: “the art of creating community.” With continuity and consistency, he said, more Marylanders will circle the Met Gala on their calendars.

“It’s a special night,” Burrows said. “It’s a red carpet. Everybody’s in their finest gear.”

It wouldn’t be a gala without charity. The gala doesn’t raise money directly and instead selects a nonprofit organization to point attendees toward. This year’s beneficiary is the Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center, which provides community services and resources in West Baltimore’s Upton neighborhood.

The center deserves the additional support, Finney said, because of “the impact they’re having on an undervalued and under-resourced community.”

Sam, who’s been involved with the event since its inception, said the Met Gala is a vital platform for artists and designers who shouldn’t be overlooked.

“I’ve been around this area for almost 30 years, and I know there are a lot of creative people here,” Sam said. “The Baltimore Met Gala has created this platform for people like me and other creatives to continuously challenge ourselves to do things that we’ve never done before.”