May Balls in Cambridge: dates, tickets and every college

When May Week is

Easter Full Term 2027 runs from Tuesday 27 April to Friday 18 June 2027. May Week is in June despite its name: the University Library glossary defines it as "actually two weeks, in June, namely the last week of the Easter Term and the week following". So May Week 2027 covers roughly the week ending Friday 18 June 2027 and the week after it (to about 25 June 2027); most balls fall in the days just after 18 June. The ball dates already published for 2027 (Magdalene 23 June 2027) fit this. For comparison, the City Council says the 2026 balls ran from Friday 19 to Friday 26 June 2026. [University of Cambridge (opens in a new tab)] [Cambridge University Library (opens in a new tab)] [Cambridge City Council (opens in a new tab)] [Magdalene College (opens in a new tab)]

What a May Ball is

A May Ball is a large, formal, all-night party run by a student committee at a college at the end of the academic year. Despite the name it takes place in June, during May Week. Balls usually have live music and fireworks and often run through the night, and the ticket includes food, drink and entertainment. [Cambridge City Council (opens in a new tab)] [Cambridge University Library (opens in a new tab)] [St John's College May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [Jesus May Ball (opens in a new tab)]

Balls, June Events and garden parties

Some colleges hold a shorter, smaller "June Event" in place of a ball, or alternate between the two. Hughes Hall describes a June Event as a more intimate and affordable alternative that still has live music, unlimited food and drink and activities. Some colleges hold a garden party instead (Newnham's students run either a May Week Garden Party or a June Event each year; Clare offers a Garden Party while its ball is paused). [Cambridge City Council (opens in a new tab)] [Hughes Hall (opens in a new tab)] [Newnham College (opens in a new tab)] [Clare College (opens in a new tab)]

Every ball is its own event

Each ball is run by its own college committee with its own date, website and tickets. The Trinity May Ball (formally the First and Third Trinity Boat Club May Ball, founded 1866) and the St John's College May Ball (since 1888) are separate events on different nights of May Week; Trinity Hall, a different college from Trinity, holds its own June Event. [Trinity May Ball (First and Third Trinity Boat Club May Ball) (opens in a new tab)] [St John's College May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [Trinity Hall June Event (THJE) (opens in a new tab)]

How tickets work

Tickets are sold online in waves, usually between January and March for a June ball. The host college's own students (and often staff and Fellows) buy first, then alumni, then a general release to other Cambridge students and alumni. Members can usually add a set number of guests. Some balls are first come, first served and sell out fast. Others ballot oversubscribed tickets: Trinity tells applicants to pay only if they succeed in the ballot. [St John's College May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [Catz May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [Emmanuel College May Ball (Emma May Ball) (opens in a new tab)] [Trinity May Ball (First and Third Trinity Boat Club May Ball) (opens in a new tab)] [Peterhouse May Ball (opens in a new tab)]

What tickets cost

Published 2026 prices for full-scale balls range from about £165 to £335 for a standard ticket: Catz £165 (Catz students) to £205 (alumni); Jesus £222 standard and £297 with champagne reception; St John's £225 (St John's students) to £335 (external alumni). Bursary tickets are cheaper, for example Catz £99 in 2026. June Events cost much less: Hughes Hall's 2026 June Event was £75 or £85. Girton's Spring Ball 2027 (March) is £120 to £175. [Catz May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [Jesus May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [St John's College May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [Hughes Hall (opens in a new tab)] [Girton Spring Ball (opens in a new tab)]

Working at a ball

Most committees hire students to staff the night (set-up, hospitality, clear-up). Terms differ by ball. St John's pays workers and gives them a right to buy a ticket for the following year's ball. Catz says it pays generously. King's Affair and Sidney link to job applications on their sites. Some balls traditionally offer "half-on, half-off" shifts (work half the night, attend the other half), but no current official page sets out those terms, so check each ball's worker page. [St John's College May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [Catz May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [King's Affair (opens in a new tab)] [Sidney May Ball (opens in a new tab)]

What to wear

Most balls are black tie. Trinity says the only acceptable attire is traditional black tie, white tie or formal national dress. Peterhouse calls itself "white tie preferred" (black tie and national dress also accepted). June Events and King's Affair are looser: King's Affair swaps gowns and tuxedos for fancy dress and costume, and Pembroke 2025 asked for "Black Tie Creative". [Trinity May Ball (First and Third Trinity Boat Club May Ball) (opens in a new tab)] [Peterhouse May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [King's Affair (opens in a new tab)] [Pembroke May Ball (opens in a new tab)]

Age limits and ID

Balls are 18+ and check photo ID at the door. Trinity asks for photo ID showing guests are over 18; Peterhouse requires attendees to be at least 18; Trinity Hall's June Event is "strictly 18+"; Pembroke guests had to be 18 on the night in 2025. [Trinity May Ball (First and Third Trinity Boat Club May Ball) (opens in a new tab)] [Peterhouse May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [Trinity Hall June Event (THJE) (opens in a new tab)] [Pembroke May Ball (opens in a new tab)]

Resale and name changes

Tickets are named. Reselling for profit is banned: Trinity cancels such tickets without refund. Name changes usually cost a fee that rises closer to the night (St John's 2026: £10 rising to £85; Trinity 2026: £35 rising to £75; Peterhouse 2026: £50 or £65). St John's runs its own anonymous resale marketplace and waitlist instead of private sales. [Trinity May Ball (First and Third Trinity Boat Club May Ball) (opens in a new tab)] [St John's College May Ball (opens in a new tab)] [Peterhouse May Ball (opens in a new tab)]

Sources

Each fact above links the page it comes from. These are the pages, and when they were read. Their publishers are the authority: check them for anything that matters, as dates and rules change from year to year.

1. University of Cambridge, cam.ac.uk/about-the-university/term-dates-and-calendars (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
2. Cambridge University Library, glossary.lib.cam.ac.uk/term/may-week (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
3. Cambridge City Council, cambridge.gov.uk/may-balls (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
4. Magdalene College, magd.cam.ac.uk/alumni/events (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
5. St John's College May Ball, mayball.org (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
6. Jesus May Ball, jesusmayball.com (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
7. Hughes Hall, hughes.cam.ac.uk/about/news/why-june-events-are-the-new-may-balls (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
8. Newnham College, newn.cam.ac.uk/study-here/life-newnham/societies-and-facilities/college-social-life (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
9. Clare College, ucs.clare.cam.ac.uk/applying-to-clare/why-clare (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
10. Trinity May Ball (First and Third Trinity Boat Club May Ball), trinityball.co.uk (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
11. Trinity Hall June Event (THJE), thjuneevent.co.uk (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
12. St John's College May Ball, mayball.org/faq (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
13. Catz May Ball, catzmayball.co.uk (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
14. Emmanuel College May Ball (Emma May Ball), emmamayball.co.uk (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
15. Trinity May Ball (First and Third Trinity Boat Club May Ball), trinityball.co.uk/ticket-faq (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
16. Peterhouse May Ball, peterhouse-mayball.co.uk (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
17. Girton Spring Ball, girtonspringball.com (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
18. King's Affair, kingsaffair.co.uk (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
19. Sidney May Ball, sidneymayball.com/work (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
20. Pembroke May Ball, mayball.pem.cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
21. St John's College May Ball, mayball.org/alumni (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
22. help.jesusmayball.com, help.jesusmayball.com/when-is-jmb (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
23. tickets.jesusmayball.com, tickets.jesusmayball.com (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
24. Queens' College, queens.cam.ac.uk/may-week-regulations (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
25. Downing May Ball, downingball.co.uk (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
26. Corpus Christi College, corpus.cam.ac.uk/events/corpus-christi-may-ball-2025 (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
27. Homerton College, homerton.cam.ac.uk/homersphere/blogs/homerton-may-ball-2024-students-releases-so-far (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
28. Homerton College, homerton.cam.ac.uk/homerton-jazz (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
29. Churchill June Event, churchillmayball.co.uk (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
30. Sidney May Ball, sidneymayball.com (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
31. Sidney May Ball, sidneymayball.com/tickets (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
32. Hughes Hall June Event, hughesmayball.co.uk (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.
33. Clare Hall, clarehall.cam.ac.uk/events/clare-hall-may-event-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read 8 Nov 2026.