Societies and clubs at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge

The college Food and drink page (opens in a new tab) says Formal Halls, open to the whole College, are traditionally held on Wednesdays and occasional Fridays, and its booking link is labelled 'Book for Formal (Members only)'; it goes to College Bills, which needs a Raven login. Guests from other colleges therefore attend through a Fitzwilliam host.

The 2026/27 College Regulations (opens in a new tab) (paragraph 62 and Appendix 4) say guests of Fitzwilliam members may attend, and Super Halls are normally limited to one guest per member. Entry is by University card: the host waits in the Screens for their guest and presents their card. Diners must be in Hall by 19:25; those arriving after 19:30 may be refused. Anyone who appears intoxicated is refused entry. One bottle of wine per diner may be brought in, no beer containers, and no alcohol is served from the Bar during dinner. Coining or other incitement to excessive drinking leads to ejection. Diners should generally be over 18, or over 16 with a host over 18. Dress should suit the occasion (jacket, collar and tie, cultural dress or smart evening wear) and gowns are worn; the regulations do not say whether guests are exempt.

The 2026 postgraduate welcome pack (opens in a new tab) asks postgraduates to book at least 48 hours ahead and says places are first come, first served. It no longer gives a maximum number of places.

Older MCR pages differ in places. The MCR Formal Hall page (opens in a new tab), last updated October 2023, lists Wednesdays and Fridays, up to five guests, bookings and cancellations until 14:00 two days before, gowns for College members only (not guests), and formals by arrangement for at least 20 people. An MCR FAQ from 2018 (opens in a new tab) also says guests need not wear gowns. On swaps, the MCR swaps page (opens in a new tab) says you book only yourself, with no guests, and the MCR FAQ (opens in a new tab) aims for three swaps a term and warns they sell out fast. Confirm the guest cap and deadline with the host for the current term. No current price is published.

Practical assessment: one regular formal night a week plus occasional Fridays, booked only by a member through a Raven-protected portal; ask the host to confirm the current guest cap and whether guests need gowns. No measured sell-out data.