Your guide to May Week
Compare every ball, June Event, and smaller-format night in one place. Dates, prices, dress codes, and ticket alerts.
Want the classic flagship all-nighter?
Start with St John's, Trinity, Jesus, and Emmanuel, then compare price, dress code, and date before you spend most of your May Week budget in one go.
Looking for something more affordable?
June Events, soirees, and garden parties can be just as good a night for a fraction of the flagship price.
Need white tie rather than black tie?
Use the dress-code guide before you rent anything. White tie is not the default everywhere, and that matters to both cost and planning.
Going as an alum or outside guest?
Check ballot timing, alumni allocations, and external-ticket expectations early. The best nights often become complicated before public sale windows open.
Every Cambridge ball in one place
The directory covers the full field — dates, prices, dress codes, and formats — whether or not a ball uses MayBall.com for ticketing.
Selwyn College
Selwyn Snowball
From
£119
Scale
800 guests
Emmanuel College
Emmanuel College May Ball
From
£210
Scale
1,200 guests
St John's College
St John's College May Ball
From
£280
Scale
1,800 guests
Christ's College
Christ's College Soiree
From
£115
Scale
500 guests
St Catharine's College
St Catharine's College May Ball
From
£177
Scale
900 guests
Homerton College
Homerton May Ball
Scale
1,500 guests
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Plan your May Week
Which Cambridge May Ball Should You Go To?
Compare prestige, scale, price, formality, and whether you want one big marquee night or a smarter two-ticket week.
Read guideFirst-Timer's Guide to May Balls
What the night actually feels like, how long it runs, what to bring, and how not to make basic first-ball mistakes.
Read guideWhat to Wear to a Cambridge May Ball
Black tie, white tie, decorations, formalwear rental, and what changes when the event is a June Event or soiree instead.
Read guideMay Balls on a Budget
Where to look if flagship prices are hard to justify and you want the best second-night options, workers' routes, or cheaper formats.
Read guideAlumni Guide to May Week
A sharper overview for alumni returning to Cambridge and trying to understand ballots, pricing, accommodation, and how the market has changed.
Read guideEvery Cambridge May Ball in 2026
The long-form annual roundup for guests who want one editorial page covering the whole field before they decide.
Read guideWhat May Week looks like
May Week 2025 in Review
How do guests actually arrive at a ball? Who goes to more than one event? A data-driven look at the 2025 season with entry curves, cross-ball attendance patterns, and what it means for 2026.
Read the 2025 review
How Cambridge May Balls actually work
- Tickets tend to matter in bursts. The stressful part is usually release timing, not just the headline price.
- Dress code varies more than people assume. Some nights are white tie, some are black tie, and some are deliberately looser second-ball formats.
- Don't overlook smaller formats. June Events, soirees, and garden parties can be brilliant nights at a fraction of the price.
- Transfer and resale season matters once the first rush is over. If your first choice sells out, the story is often not finished.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Cambridge May Ball?
A Cambridge May Ball is a large overnight college event held during May Week in June. Expect formal dress, multiple entertainment spaces, food and drink through the night, and an event that usually runs into breakfast and the survivors' photo.
When do Cambridge May Ball tickets usually go on sale?
Most committees start revealing dates, prices, and release plans between Michaelmas and Lent, with the serious ticket-release period usually landing between January and March. Alumni and internal ballots can happen earlier than general external demand expects.
How much do Cambridge May Balls cost?
Prices vary sharply by format. June Events and smaller evenings can sit close to the £90-£120 range, while marquee May Balls often run much higher. The useful question is not just absolute price, but whether you are choosing one anchor night or trying to build a two-event week.
What should I wear to a May Ball?
Check the individual event carefully. Black tie is common, white tie appears at the more formal end, and some events deliberately soften the dress code. The mistake to avoid is assuming every Cambridge night uses the same standard.
What happens if the ball I want sells out?
That depends on the event, but a sell-out does not always mean the end. Waitlists, internal reallocations, and later transfers often matter. That is why MayBall.com treats ticket alerts, waitlists, and resale as part of the planning layer rather than an afterthought.
For Committees
Running an event?
MayBall.com powers ticketing for leading Cambridge balls. Waitlists, transfers, branded flows, and mobile scanning — all included.