Cambridge University students stagger home and lie in the grass after partying the night away at Emmanuel College’s May Ball
Cambridge students lay in the grass and staggered home this morning – after partying the night away at the University’s annual May Ball celebrations.
Emmanuel College pupils looked to be in good spirits as they greeted sunlight wearing frocks and gowns – while carrying one another on piggy back – after enjoying Sunday night’s Twenties-themed bash.
The theme – ‘Putting on the Ritz’ – saw revellers don tuxedos, suits and flapper-era inspired satin dresses, with some continuing to drink past dawn.
‘Join us for a night of clandestine glamour, where the jazz is hot and the gin is cold,’ the invite read.
‘We are bringing the spirit of the speakeasy to Emma, inviting you to a celebration of excess, elegance, and excitement.
‘Expect a night of surprises as we transport you back to an era of flappers and bootleggers. Dress to impress and prepare to put on the Ritz.’
One attendee in particular looked to have experienced quite the evening, as she stepped in with a scarlet ensemble and full glam – only to emerge afterwards wrapped in a bright blue sheet.
Cambridge’s May Balls are a tradition which stretches back almost two centuries, and mark the end of the academic year.
Emmanuel College pupils looked to be in good spirits as they greeted sunlight wearing frocks and gowns – after enjoying Sunday night’s 1920s themed bash
Cambridge students laid in the grass and staggered home this morning – after partying the night away at the University’s annual May Ball celebrations
Originating back to the 1830s, the Balls were thought to have stemmed from celebrations surrounding the May Bumps, an annual rowing race held on the River Cam.
Tickets for such events can now go anywhere from £100 to £500. Tickets for Emmanuel College’s bash are understood to have started from £210.
Over recent years, a number of other Cambridge institutions have begun to offer May Ball alternatives for students who struggle to afford the pricey entrance fee.
This has seen smaller events held at the beginning of June which offer undergraduates cheaper ticketing options.
Last year, one college scrapped its lavish May Ball, breaking tradition in favour of hosting a ‘more accessible and inclusive’ event instead.
With tickets to the previously annual Ball setting students back as much as £270, Robinson College made the move to replace the extravagant end-of-year bash with an ‘alternative’ event which it hoped would appeal to more students.
The theme – ‘Putting on the Ritz’ – saw revellers don tuxedos, suits and flapper-era inspired satin dresses, with some continuing to drink past dawn
Cambridge’s May Balls are a tradition which stretches back almost two centuries, and mark the end of the academic year
Students laid in the grass after partying the night away at their May Ball
Robinson College, which is Cambridge’s newest college having been founded in 1977, now hosts other ‘May week’ celebrations, including a summer garden party and a ‘mega bop’.
This retains the original Ball’s ‘film noir’ theme, but sees tickets made available to all Cambridge University undergraduates at much cheaper prices.
It is believed that the May Ball has struggled in recent years to attract Cambridge students, with the lofty prices turning off many young people as they endure increased living costs.
Ticket sales were in fact so poor in 2019 that the event was cancelled altogether.
A statement on the Robinson May Ball committee’s social media said that the decision had been made to cancel this year’s event to ‘ensure as many students as possible’ can enjoy the college’s new ‘mega bop’.
Some spirited students continued drinking as they met the morning sunshine
It was smiles all around as students made their way back home after the party
Originating back to the 1830s, the Balls were thought to have stemmed from celebrations surrounding the May Bumps, an annual rowing race held on the River Cam
Tickets for such events can now go anywhere from £100 to £500. Tickets for Emmanuel College’s bash are understood to have started from £210
Speaking to the Varsity student newspaper, a spokesperson for the committee added: ‘Rising costs have been affecting all balls in recent years, as have lower ticket sales. We therefore took the decision to change our event to a more accessible one at this point to ensure we could organise the best possible alternative’.
Despite the ostensible benefit of saving students money, some criticised the decision to cancel last year’s May Ball.
One disgruntled student wrote on the event’s Facebook page: ‘Sacrificing a proper May Ball doesn’t make sense. There should just be proper mechanisms in place for accessible tickets, with support from the college.
‘Robinson’s always been one of the university’s cheapest balls and ditching it will actually mean many students won’t be able to access a May Ball at all’.
However, others have defended the move, including former May Ball treasurer Max Harvey who said that the organising committee receives ‘no assistance from the college’, which makes ‘achieving adequate ticket prices always difficult’.
Harvey added: ‘The decision to not hold a full May Ball this year will not have been taken lightly by the committee and most likely the decision will have been heavily encouraged by the college based upon ticket sales in previous years’.
The Daily Mail approached Robinson College for comment at the time.
