Alternatives
Several colleges host a variation on these balls, a June Event. These are cheaper (£50-70), tend to be focused on live music, and frequently have less formal dress codes. Some colleges alternate June events and May balls from year to year. Trinity Hall, Pembroke, and Wolfson hold June events.
King's holds an annual event known as the "King's Affair" — like the June events it is cheaper and has a reputation for "Beats not Bollinger"; guests are invited to wear any costume they choose. With seven different music stages focusing mainly on new DJs the atmosphere is perhaps more akin to some festivals.
In order to spread the fun throughout the year, a number of colleges have broken with tradition to hold balls at different times, normally either in the winter at the end of Michaelmas term, i.e. the beginning of December, or in spring at the end of Lent term. Selwyn is the only college to hold a yearly winter ball, known as the Snowball; in 2008 Selwyn also held a May Ball to celebrate its 125th Birthday. Fitzwilliam holds winter balls every two years, the most recent being November 2012. Of the spring balls, that of Girton is held every other year, whereas Churchill continues to produce an annual ball every February.
Peterhouse has held balls on alternating years, most recently in 2009. However, due to Peterhouse's poor academic performance, the Governing Body controversially cancelled the 2008 ball, much to the dismay and anger of many students.
Read more about this topic: May Ball
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