Cambridge University students stagger home and lie in the grass after partying the night away at Emmanuel College’s May Ball
Cambridge students staggered home this morning, lying on the grass after spending the night partying at the university’s annual May Ball celebrations.
Emmanuel College students looked cheerful as they greeted the sunshine by carrying each other on their backs and wearing dresses and dresses after enjoying a 1920s themed party on Sunday night.
With the theme of ‘Wearing the Ritz’, revelers wore tuxedos, suits and flapper-era inspired satin dresses, while some continued to drink well past dawn.
The invitation read: ‘Join us for a secret, flamboyant night where jazz is hot and gin is cold.’
‘We’re bringing the spirit of cuteness to Emma; We invite you to a celebration of excess, elegance and excitement.
‘Expect a night full of surprises as we take you back to the age of flappers and bootlegging. Dress to impress and get ready to wear the Ritz.’
One attendee in particular looked like she’d had quite the evening, as she walked in wearing a red dress and full glam, only to emerge later wrapped in a bright blue sheet.
Cambridge’s May Balls are a tradition that dates back almost two centuries and marks the end of the academic year.
Emmanuel College students looked in good spirits as they greeted the sunshine in dresses and gowns after enjoying a 1920s themed party on Sunday night.
Cambridge students staggered home this morning, lying on the grass after spending the night partying at the university’s annual May Ball celebrations.
Dating back to the 1830s, the Balls were thought to originate from the celebrations surrounding the May Bumps, an annual rowing race on the River Cam.
Tickets for such events can now cost between £100 and £500. Tickets for Emmanuel College’s party are understood to start from £210.
In recent years, a number of other Cambridge institutions have begun offering May Ball alternatives to students struggling to pay the expensive entry fee.
This saw smaller events take place at the beginning of June, offering cheaper ticket options to undergraduates.
Last year a university scrapped its glitzy May Ball and broke with tradition to host a ‘more accessible and inclusive’ event instead.
Robinson College has moved to replace its extravagant end-of-year party with an ‘alternative’ event it hopes will attract more students, with tickets to its previously annual Prom costing students up to £270.
With the theme of ‘Dressing the Ritz’, revelers were seen wearing tuxedos, suits and flapper-era inspired satin dresses; some continued to drink well after dawn
Cambridge’s May Balls are a tradition dating back almost two centuries and celebrate the end of the academic year
Students lay on the grass after partying the night away at the May Ball
Robinson College, Cambridge’s newest college, founded in 1977, now hosts other ‘May week’ celebrations, including a summer garden party and ‘mega bop’.
This retains the Ball’s original ‘film noir’ theme, but sees tickets offered to all Cambridge University undergraduates at much cheaper prices.
It is thought that the May Ball has struggled to attract Cambridge students in recent years, with high prices offending many young people who endure rising living costs.
In fact, ticket sales were so poor in 2019 that the event was canceled entirely.
In a statement made on the Robinson May Ball committee’s social media, it was stated that the decision was made to cancel this year’s event ‘to ensure that as many students as possible can enjoy the university’s new ‘mega bop”.
Some cheerful students continued to drink as they encountered the morning sun
There were smiles everywhere as the students returned home after the party
Dating back to the 1830s, the Balls were thought to originate from the celebrations surrounding the May Bumps, an annual rowing race on the River Cam.
Tickets for such events can now cost between £100 and £500. Tickets for Emmanuel College’s party are understood to start from £210
Speaking to the Varsity student newspaper, a committee spokesman added: ‘Increasing costs in recent years are affecting all balls, as are lower ticket sales. ‘We have therefore taken the decision to replace our event with a more accessible one at this point to ensure we can organize the best possible alternative’.
Despite the apparent benefit of saving students money, some criticized the decision to cancel last year’s May Ball.
One disgruntled student wrote on the event’s Facebook page: ‘It doesn’t make sense to properly sacrifice the May Ball. Appropriate mechanisms for accessible tickets should be in place with the support of the university.
‘Robinson has always been one of the university’s cheapest balls and its abandonment will actually mean that many students will not be able to access the May Ball.’
However, others defended the move, including former May Ball treasurer Max Harvey, who said the organizing committee had ‘received no help from the college’, adding that ‘adequate ticket prices are always difficult to come by’.
Harvey added: ‘The decision not to hold a full May Ball this year will not be taken lightly by the committee and is likely to have been heavily encouraged by the college based on ticket sales in previous years.’
The Daily Mail approached Robinson College for comment at the time.
