So, what's a ball?

There’s no formal definition of a ball, but it usually means an evening formal event that involves music, dancing, and plenty of food and drink. They’re a pretty ubiquitous part of the Oxford experience and offer a great chance to socialise with friends, meet new people, blow off steam, and generally have fun!

Balls are often organised by colleges and held in the college quads and facilities, but many societies and other organisations host balls of their own at various venues throughout the city. These are often regular events (whether once a term or once every three years) but can also be one-offs. They’ll typically have a dress code, with black tie being the most common but others including white tie and more.

What happens at a ball?

Every ball is unique, but you can usually have unlimited food and drink while making the most of the entertainment on offer. Entertainment can range from student bands and face painting all the way to big name artists, silent discos and ferris wheels. Often there will also be a photographer (and sometimes photobooths) on site so the magical memories of the night can be captured and cherished.*

How do I get a ticket?

Tickets are usually bought well in advance and often sell out quickly, so keep an eye out for ticket release dates. The ball committee will usually send a link to their OXEX booking page in advance, and tickets will come on sale at a specified time. There’s usually preference given to college/society members, but guests and external attendees are often welcome to attend (usually at a slightly higher cost). Access tickets are often available for students receiving financial support, but this isn’t always the case and is more common for college members. See what's coming up

Types of balls

Balls can take many forms, and they vary in size, timings and price. Most colleges will hold regular balls, typically occurring annually as black tie events with ticket prices around £90-£150. Some colleges instead hold commemoration balls, typically occurring triennially (once every three years) as white tie events in 9th week of Trinity term. Commemoration balls are often much more extravagant, offering more food and drink options, bigger-name bands, and later end-times, but are priced much higher, typically costing £180+. Society balls are typically smaller events held more irregularly at external venues across the city, but are often more accessible with prices more in the £50-90 range.

Read our other articles for more general information, or see what events are coming up!