alternative guide to may week
The end of term/May Week is fast approaching! For many students, May Week can seem extremely inaccessible - full of expensive events such as Balls and Garden Parties some of which can cost more than £200 per ticket. Fear not, there are many ways to celebrate the end of the academic year without breaking the bank. In this guide you’ll find some suggestions for things that you can do in Cambridge during May Week, Grad Week, or anytime of year. At the end of the guide, you’ll find a list of events planned in and around May Week, all for under £25.
COLLEGE CRAWL: Colleges are once again open for business! With loads of green areas within colleges to sit and relax, why not go on a tour and visit a bunch of colleges that aren’t your own. John’s, Christ’s, Newnham, to name a few, make for some great days out with amazing green spaces and gardens. As a member of the University you can enter and walk around any college (although they tend to get strict when they begin to set up for their balls). BUMPS: With Bumps running from 13th-16th June there’s plenty of time to watch the fun and carnage that is Bumps! Whether you’re there to support your college or friends, or just have a day out, it’s a nice way to get outside the city centre and soak up the sun (hopefully!) on the grass next to the river. THEATRE & MUSIC CONCERTS: There are loads of college May Week shows and concerts, with cheap entry. Many are outdoors, so can be a great way to relax in the sun and watch some plays or listen to great music. Some will be featured in this guide but keep checking Camdram and Facebook for others that may pop up! VISIT MUSEUMS: There are eight University Museums and Collections in Cambridge that you can visit for free! For more information and to check out the exhibitions on offer, visit www.museums.cam.ac.uk. They range from the Botanical Garden, which is home to plants from all around the world, to Kettle’s Yard, which recently reopened following renovation.
VISIT MILL ROAD: Although it’s only a short walk from Parker’s Piece, Mill Road often feels a world away from Cambridge. It’s an incredibly diverse street and home to many independent businesses and places of worship. Whether you’re after yam and plantain, fancy picking up some “wavy garms”, or are on the hunt for the best brew - you’ll definitely find it on Mill Road! READ: I know, I know, you’ve read enough already. But why not read for fun? Try a book that’s not been recommended to you by your supervisor. The Fly Library offers a great list of novels, short stories and nonfiction by women and non-binary people from the Global South. EXERCISE: Whether you enjoying walking, running, swimming or cycling, Cambridge has plenty of routes so you don’t get bored of the same scenery. LEAVE CAMBRIDGE: If you’ve seen enough of Cambridge, why not visit another city? If you have a Railcard or Coachcard you can get cheap tickets to places like London, Ely and Birmingham. It’s totally normal to feel like leaving Cambridge as soon as exams are over! If you don’t fancy going too far out you could punt or walk over to Grantchester and have a picnic. Many colleges have cheap or free punts for their students to rent and if your college doesn’t do this ask a friend at a college that does.
Calendar of Events Below is a list of free or cheap events due to take place in and around May Week. There really is something for everyone, from the DSC’s Zine Launch to PolSoc Football Varsity to the debut of Second-Generation - a sketch about life in the UK for 2nd generation kids. This list may grow, so be sure check here for updates.
T UES , J U NE 1 2 DISABLED STUDENTS’ CAMPAIGN ZINE LAUNCH Time: 7pm to 9pm Place: CUSU Lounge Accessible party in CUSU to celebrate the launch of the DSC’s zine on the theme of “Disability and the Body”. Bring your own snacks and drinks, alcohol is permitted but please be considerate towards others.
WED, J U NE 1 3 RECLAIM THE MIC // WOMEN’S AND NON-BINARY NIGHT Time: 8pm to 3am Place: Revolution Cambridge Tickets: TBA Following the huge success of Hip Hop x Clare Ents, the final event of the year from the CU Hip Hop Society will be the biggest. It’s the society’s first ever event with an all women and non-binary people line-up.
T HU RS , J UNE 1 4 TARGET SCHOOLS TRAINING Time: 3pm to 4pm Place: Newnham Gardens (weather permitting - otherwise, CUSU Lounge) Sun, snacks and access - snaccess in the sun! Meet at Newham plodge at 2.55pm before we head into the gardens to learn more about Target Schools and how to give the best presentations on life at Cambridge.
6’98 ZINE LAUNCH Time: 3pm to 6pm Place: New Common Room, Pembroke College Tickets: £6.50 (including the cost of the Zine) Join the 6’98 Team for the launch of their first issue: An Age of Fragmentation. There will be free pizza, snacks and drinks, amazing music and performances from students! 100% of the profit made from the zine will go to SolidariTee, a national fundraiser-cum-campaign for Advocates Abroad (an NGO, which provides legal aid and representation to refugees in Greece and Turkey).
FR I, J UNE 1 5 CUGS GARDEN PARTY Time: 1pm to 5pm Place: Pembroke College Tickets: Members - £12 // Non-Members - £15 Members and non-members alike, come and celebrate the end of term in style at one of the highlights of the CUGS calendar. Join CUGS for an afternoon of free-flowing drink, summer food and Cambridge’s finest entertainment set in the beautiful sun-drenched gardens of Pembroke College. Come and soak up the sun and enjoy our colourful Crayola Carnival! CUSU WOMCAM GARDEN PARTY Time: 2pm onwards Place: Jesus Green A free garden party open to all women and non-binary students. Come along for great feminist chat, chilled vibes and the launch of the Gender Agenda Zine. CUVS BBQ Time: 2pm to 5pm Place: Churchill College Tickets: CUVS members - £5 // Non-CUVS members - £6 Celebrate the end of exams and kick off your May Week with the annual CUVS BBQ! Each ticket includes: a hot dog and a burger (or veggie alternative), a glass of Pimms (or non-alcoholic alternative), unlimited sports (think welly wanging, rounders, lacrosse and more and of course the prestigious annual egg throwing competition) AND unlimited access to a cheap bar.
LATES AT KETTLE’S YARD Time: 6pm to 9pm Place: Kettle’s Yard, Castle Street Tickets: £5 Pop along to Kettle’s Yard after-hours to check out the House and latest exhibition, Antony Gormley SUBJECT. There will be live music, talks, making and more!
THE LION KING UNDER THE STARS Time: Gates open 7pm, film starts 9pm or when the sun sets. Place: Cambridge United Football Club Tickets: £14 An amazing outdoor cinema experience at The Abbey Stadium, the home of Cambridge United Football Club.
YOGA Time: 6.45pm to 7.45pm Place: CUSU-GU Lounge
PEMBROKE COLLEGE MAY WEEK CONCERT Time: 8.30pm to 10pm Place: Emmanuel United Reformed Church, Trumpington Street The concert will culminate in a performance of Bach’s energetic ‘Magnificat’, performed by Pembroke Choir. Strawberries and champagne will be served in the interval.
SAT, J UNE 1 6 CAMBRIDGE CODEBREAKERS: THE LAST SECRET Time: 10.30am to 12.30pm Place: Games start and end at Cambridge University Centre Wine Bar, Granta Place Tickets: £15 per person A high-energy adventure game spanning 4 University Museums, full of interesting clues and timed challenges - no prior knowledge of codebreaking is required. WOLFSON COLLEGE END OF TERM BBQ Time: 2pm to 5pm Place: Sundial Garden, Wolfson College Bring your own meat and booze and enjoy some great company in Wolfson’s lovely gardens. A NIGHT OF JUBILEE Time: 7pm to 11pm Place: St. Andrew’s Street Baptist Church Tickets: £24.10 Run by Christian students who are part of the Just Love Community, A Night of Jubilee is a chance for students to explore what it means to celebrate together in a socially compassionate way. The celebration will have great ents, great vibes and yummy vegan food. The Church Hall is fully accessible, there is a lift up to the Upper Hall and accessible toilets on the ground floor through the cafe. There are hearing loops in both halls. WOLFSON COLLEGE END OF TERM BOP Time: 10pm to 2am Place: Club Room, Wolfson College Open to students across the collegiate university.
SU N, J UNE 1 7 CARDBOARD BOAT RACE Time: TBC Place: Jesus Green Head down to Jesus Green to see people compete in boats made of only cardboard, gaffa tape and PVA glue. Feel free to get building with a team and take part in the race yourself or just have a laugh watching the event. THE SIDNEY SUSSEX BOAT CLUB GARDEN PARTY Time: 12pm to 3pm Place: Tennis Court Gardens, Sidney Sussex Tickets: £16 - before June 1st, £19 thereafter The Sidney Sussex Boat Club offers a great way to celebrate the end of May Bumps. There’ll be free flowing drinks, food, games and live music. Open to boaties and non-boaties from all colleges. ARTS & THE ENVIRONMENT - ROBINSON GARDEN PARTY Time: 1pm to 3pm Place: Robinson College ~ Open and free for all ~ There will be drawing, painting, music and a free, safe space for expression. There will also be lots of wonderful locally sourced drinks and snacks. Bring poetry, music and picnic rugs! CAMBRIDGE RADICAL BOOKFAIR Time: 1pm to 5pm Place: The Portland Arms, 129 Chesterton Road Visit stalls, hear from great speakers and attend workshops. Confirmed participants include Cambridge Climate Action, Cambridge Solidarity Federation and Cambridge Kurdistan Solidarity.
POLSOC FOOTBALL VARSITY Time: 2pm to 5pm Place: Cambridge, TBC Come along and support as Cambridge PolSoc and Oxford PolSoc battle it out for the title of best football team. IN HORTO: CLASSICS SOCIETIES GARDEN PARTY Time: 2.30pm to 5.30pm Place: St John’s College, Scholar’s Garden Tickets: £8.30 Join the Cambridge University Classics Society and St John’s College Classical Society for their annual May Week Garden Party. There’ll be unlimited beverages, games and performances. MAY WEEK ALTERNATIVE Time: 5pm - 8pm Place: TBC Rather than spending £150 on going to a May Ball, why not donate this money to helping to protect thousands of people from malaria? Even if you can’t afford to donate the whole £150, we will still welcome you to join us at our MWA event regardless of your donation. JOHN’S JUNE EVENT Time: 8pm to 12am Place: St John’s College Tickets: £20 Unlimited food, drinks and inflatables - what better way to celebrate the end of exams? Tickets are currently on offer to John’s students via UPay. John’s students are able to buy tickets on behalf of guests from other colleges.
MO N, J U NE 1 8 POWER AND IDENTITY: PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTIONS ON LIBERATION Time: 9am to 5pm Place: TBC A one-day conference exploring and analysing the ways in which identity and power interact, engaging with issues such as the epistemological power of identity categories, the characterisation of the intersections of power relations, and what liberation within the academy might look like. THE BLAKE SOCIETY GARDEN PARTY - A BIGGER SPLASH! Time: 2pm to 4pm Place: Downing College Tickets: Members - £10 // Non-Members - £12.50 The Blake Society invites all members and guests to celebrate the end of exams in sun-soaked, splendorous, Sixties style. Inspired by Hockney’s 1967 print, and the artworks it subsequently inspired (Luca Guadagnino’s 2015 film, for example) the afternoon promises fun, food, friends, and (re)freshing beverages. 50 SHADES OF WHITE - ABACUS GARDEN PARTY Time: 2.30pm to 5.30pm Place: Scholar’s Garden, St John’s College Tickets: £15 (Member) // £17 (Non-Member) Join the Association of British and Chinese University Students (ABACUS) for their annual garden party. Expect unlimited alcohol, bubble tea and a multitudinous range of food.
WORLDCUP SCREENINGS Time: 6pm onwards Place: Wolfson College Club Room Pop along to the Club Room at Wolfson to catch all evening matches shown from June 18th onwards. For more details, contact Charlie BartyKing, Wolfson Ents Officer: wcsa-ents@wolfson.cam.ac.uk
EASTER TERM CONCERT Time: 7.30pm to 9pm Place: Peterhouse Theatre Tickets: Students: £5 - £10 Peterhouse’s Easter Term Concert features guest musician Karim Said.
UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE WITH QUIZSOC | UNION+ Time: 8.30pm to 11.30pm Place: Dining Room and Mountbatten Room, The Cambridge Union Catch an episode of University Challenge and then try your hand at quiz challenges in the style of the show with the Cambridge University Quiz Society!
TU ES , J U NE 1 9 THE RCMS MAY WEEK CONCERT: A NOT SO SILENT MOVIE Time: 5.30pm to 6.30pm Place: Robinson College RCMS is excited to present music from the movies, sung and played to a live showing of the scenes they accompanied. This will include music performed by Robinson Chapel Choir and the Robinson Jazz Orchestra. This will be followed by a Garden Party. THE CAMBRIDGE GUILD SUMMER PARTY Time: 2.30pm to 5.30pm Place: Sidney Sussex College, Cloister Gardens Tickets: £12 Expect endless fun and entertainment, in the beautiful gardens of Sidney Sussex. Performers include leading student talents, and we have made preparations for an unrivalled selection of food and drinks PDOC GARDEN PARTY Time: 6pm to 8pm Place: Emmanuel College Tickets: £6 Carrying on a long tradition, the Postdocs of Cambridge society will be continuing to take over the Paddock at Emmanuel College for the PdOC Garden Party. 100 places are available to postdocs. SECOND-GENERATION Time: 9.30pm to 10.30pm Place: Corpus Playroom Tickets: £5 - £8 Opening night of a brilliant sketch comedy showing what life is like as a second-generation kid growing up in modern Britain. Runs until Saturday June 23rd.
WED, J U NE 2 0 TVC-HEALTHTECH Time: 9am to 6.30pm Place: Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge Tickets: £20 - Student Early Bird // £25 - Student Cambridge University Technology and Enterprise Club’s annual Technology Ventures Conference brings together over 300 entrepreneurs, researchers, professionals, investors, and students to encourage the melding of knowledge and ideas. The focus of this year’s conference is the impact of biotech on the future of healthcare. Food, tea and coffee are included in the price. TARGET SCHOOLS TRAINING Time: 2pm to 3pm Place: Newnham Gardens (weather permitting - otherwise, CUSU Lounge) Sun, snacks and access - snaccess in the sun! Meet at Newham plodge at 1.55pm before we head into the gardens to learn more about Target Schools and how to give the best presentations on life at Cambridge. THE SEDGWICK CLUB GARDEN PARTY Time: 2.30pm to 8.30pm Place: Arch & Anth Lawn, Downing Site Tickets: £5 - online // £6 - on the day The Sedgwick Club Garden Party is hosted in collaboration with the Earth Sciences department happy hour. There’ll be an afternoon of BBQ & bevs, continuing into the evening.
THU RS , J UNE 2 1 CHRIST’S BOP Time: TBC Place: Christ’s Function Room Pop along to Christ’s for some May Week fun! PAKSOC GARDEN PARTY Time: 2pm onwards Place: Memorial Court, Clare College Tickets: £15 - members // £18 - non-members The PakSoc Garden Party returns! Come along to Memorial Court for non-alcoholic bevs and traditional Pakistani food and activities. FLORA & FRIDAY | THE FITZWILLIAM MUSEUM SOCIETY GARDEN PARTY Time: 5pm to 8pm Place: Fitzwilliam Museum Gardens Tickets: Members - £15 // Non-Members - £20 **themed dress strongly encouraged!** This year we are celebrating the work of Frida Kahlo and all of the flora and fauna of the summer which she so beautifully captured. Come for food, drinks and live music!
FR I, J UNE 2 2 JSCU GARDEN PARTY WITH OUTDOOR CINEMA Time: 6pm to 11pm Place: Jesus College Tickets: Garden Party is free // Outdoor cinema: £4 - Online // £5 - On The Day An evening of good vibes, good music, and good jokes. Join JCSU for the college sports day, a BBQ and an outdoor screening of Shrek complete with popcorn, deckchairs, and much, much more. YATRA ~ CU INDIA SOCIETY GARDEN PARTY Time: 6.30pm to 11.30pm Place: St John’s College, Scholar’s Garden Tickets: Members - £12 // Non-members - £16 From the old to the new, join India Soc on their journey through the ages and experience its diversity through food, music and culture. Freeflowing alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks, traditional Indian food and exciting ents to be announced!
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