On Friday afternoon (09/05), the president and committee of the Clare May Ball announced that the event, scheduled for the end of June (23/06), will no longer be going ahead.

The announcement followed a flash sale at the end of April (30/04) which reduced the price of 54 student tickets by 20%.

The committee announced the decision on Instagram, stating that the cancellation was the result of the “changing economic landscape that has evidently affected many events”.

The statement continued: “The burden on student run committees to finance these events without any security or investment from college is a worrying development for the future of May Week events.”

The committee has stated that all ticket holders will receive a full refund. Other colleges’ May Ball committees - including Downing, Homerton, Pembroke, and Trinity Hall’s June Event - have offered discounted tickets to Clare May Ball ticket holders.

Clare is not the only College to have faced difficulties with May Balls this year.

In February, Robinson College announced that its May Ball would be replaced with a “mega bop,” also citing rising costs and lower ticket sales compared to previous years. Yesterday (10/05), the committee announced this would become a Garden Party, exclusive to Robinson students.

Emmanuel College also cancelled its June Event in March, citing low ticket sales. Sidney Sussex’s garden party was also cancelled at the start of April as a result of “low ticket demand”.

Other colleges, including Downing, Magdalene, Corpus Christi, and King’s have all offered discounted tickets to Emma students following the cancellation.

The Clare May Ball committee was approached for comment.