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Date & Time

Tuesday 21st June
5:00pm – 5:00am

Dress

Black tie or equivalent.

Location

St John’s College, Cambridge.

General information

For further information or if you have any enquiries, please contact the May Ball Committee: https://mayball.org/

May Ball 2022

Important announcement about ticketing:

The May Ball Committee is pleased to announce that applications for tickets for the 2022 May Ball are open.

We would like to thank you for your patience during the ticketing process. We opened the site a few days ago but very quickly found some issues experienced by alumni accounts which delayed a formal announcement to you. Nonetheless, we’re pleased to confirm that these problems have now been resolved, and that the deadline for applications has been extended until Friday 18 March to ensure alumni have adequate time to apply for tickets.

The St John’s May Ball has a history stretching back to 1888. This year, on Tuesday 21 June, the College will be transformed with beautiful decorations illustrating our theme, which is kept secret until you arrive. There will be an array of bars and food stands, as well as an amazing headline act, a fireworks display and plenty of other surprises to keep you entertained until sunrise.

Please visit our website to apply for tickets or to view our FAQs.

Additionally we would like to highlight the opportunity to attend as an 1888 guest. 1888 members gain access to the exclusive Wordsworth room, where they will be welcomed with a selection of food and drinks, along with live music and entertainment throughout the night. Please contact our Vice President, Eugenio Castello, at functions@mayball.org, if you wish to discuss further details. 

The May Ball Committee looks forward to welcoming you to an incredible evening.
With best wishes,

Sophie McInerney, Head of Ticketing, St John’s May Ball 2022

Thursday 10 March 2022


The May Ball is back for 2022. On Tuesday 21 June the College will be transformed into the magical evening that is the May Ball.

Please note that guests who purchased and rolled over tickets from the 2020 May Ball can use them this year. The May Ball Committee will get in touch with these guests directly with further details. However, if you do not receive an email and believe you paid for 2020 tickets, please do get in touch with the Head of Ticketing, Sophie McInerney (tickets@mayball.org). You can also refer to the FAQs page on their website for further details.

All alumni are eligible to apply for either alumni tickets or The 1888 Club.

The May Ball committee is pleased to offer the guarantee of a single, reduced price ticket to all alumni who graduated in 2020 and 2021 as the pandemic made them miss their chance to attend the ball as student. These tickets will be priced at £240 for the single, and £495 for a standard pair of alumni tickets. Recent alumni should make an account as normal and will be able to apply for these single tickets that way.

The May Ball presents a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with memories from the College, and to experience a vast array of exquisite food, drink and entertainment.

For further information or if you have any enquiries, please contact the May Ball Committee directly (https://mayball.org/).

If you are looking for something extra special to add to your Ball experience, then you may consider The 1888 Club. 

The 1888 Club offers a unique experience at the May Ball. 1888 members gain access to the exclusive Wordsworth room, where the author lived as an undergraduate at the College over 450 years ago. Here they will be welcomed with a curated selection of food and drinks, along with live music and entertainment throughout the night.

The Club is especially recommended for our alumni and members who wish to take part in one of the College’s great traditions in a more relaxed setting.