Welcome and all aboard on the Orient Express. This year, Clare College pulled out all the stops in their mission to create a memorable May Ball, with a variety of food, drink, and entertainment on offer from start to finish. The over-arching theme truly delivered, with different courts and gardens being themed according to different countries along the route of the Orient Express.

For example, Old Court boasted a Parisian drinks bar, the Great Hall a Viennese Ball, and the Scholars’ Garden an Alpine Getaway with Belgian waffles and Mulled Wine. Appropriate décor featured throughout, making for a truly eclectic but well-polished spectacle. Here are some the highlights of my night at Clare.

Most important to me was the food. Despite best efforts, I simply could not try everything – a testimony to the huge selection of food available. Old favourites, such as pie and mash and falafel wraps, made an appearance, but I was most taken by some of the more varied treats on offer: cheese and olive tasting in the “First Class Cabin”. Baklava in the “Merchants Paradise”, which also featured pizza and ice cream supplied by Aromi. Pretzels in the German Biergarten – accompanied by beer, and seemingly endless drinking songs provided by a lederhosen-clad Oompah Band. The onion bhajis were frankly divine and, for me, stole the show.

Unlike the balls I attended last year – Downing and Jesus – I was most impressed by the range of delicious vegetarian and vegan food available. This was part of Clare’s effort to create a sustainable experience. An eco-ball, if you will. Other aspects of this endeavour included serving drinks from kegs to save on packaging, using recycled materials where possible, energy-efficient LED lights and locally-sourced food and drink. The committee also pledged to donate to renewable energy and reforestation projects, aiming to create the first carbon-neutral May Ball. A nice touch.

Complementing the food selection was a fairly standard array of drinks including cocktail bars, shot bars, and ice-boxes full of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Nothing too spectacular, but a necessary component of any May Ball. Also, within a couple of hours the queues for most of the food and drink stalls had diminished greatly, easing my quest for a full stomach and a reduced state of sobriety.

To be honest, I was not greatly impressed by the entertainment on offer. As someone not that enthralled by dance music, I didn’t care much for Blonde or Artful Dodger, although some tasteful remixing and a dance mix of “Will Griggs on Fire” went down a storm. The smaller stages and acts, for me, were far more enjoyable than the headliners – Over The Bridge’s tight harmonic covers and the early-morning Samba Band were personal favourites, and the early hours featured a fantastically sweaty ceilidh followed by a “Kanye vs Taylor” silent disco.

Overall, Clare May Ball 2016 was a truly memorable night. The committee took a winning formula of food, booze, and entertainment, and blended it with a well thought-out theme to create an unforgettable experience.