2011: Garden Party Guide

May Week is the light at the end of the tunnel. With tickets being snapped up fast, here’s The Tab‘s Guide to Garden Parties to make sure you know where to be…

Friday 17th June

VARSITY TWENTY20

Time: 1pm – 6pm

Location: Fenner’s Cricket Ground, Cambridge

Price: £10 each, £8 each for 10 or more, £7 each for 20 or more

Get Tickets: Here, or direct group cheques to Harry Bardon at [email protected] at Christ’s. Cheques payable to ‘Cambridge University Cricket Club’.

Good for: Cricket fans, since you get to watch Varsity Cricket. And there’s Lazerquest and cheerleading from the Cambridge Cougars.

Bad for: Those who don’t enjoy cricket…

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Saturday 18th June

CAMBRIDGE UNION

Time: 2pm-6pm

Location: Sidney Sussex Fellows’ Garden

Price: £15 for members, £20 for non-members.

Get Tickets: On sale from 12pm on Friday 13th online, and at the Union office.

Good for: A civilised Cambridge experience with homemade lemonade and Eton Mess.

Bad for: Hosting initiations…

TEN MEN GARDEN PARTY

Time: 2pm – 7.30pm

Location: Fen Ditton (map)

Price: Free, but BYOB

Contact: email [email protected] for more details

Good for: Those who love rowing, it is situated on the banks of the Cam to watch the final day of bumps. Plus there are paddling pools and inflatables.

Bad for: those who want a big event, it’s bring your own booze and food.

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Sunday 19th June (Suicide Sunday)

WYVERNS

Time: 11am – 2pm

Location: TBC

Price: Gold wristbands £15 (includes free entry and queue jump to cindies and life), silver wristbands £10

Get tickets: Here.

Good for: It’s the most notorious and longest running garden party. And it has jelly wrestling.

Bad for: Those who don’t like (rumoured) piss in their drinks.

MARGUERITES‘

Time: 12pm – 2pm

Location: Christ’s College Fellows’ Garden

Price: £10

Get tickets: By emailing t[email protected]. Include in all emails: your name, college, and details of any guests being applied on behalf of. Successful ticket applicants will hear via email.

Good for: Those who want a small event in a beautiful setting, with a particular love for Christ’s. Their students get priorities.

Bad for: Anyone who knows no one at Christ’s.

CRESCENT’S

Time: 9am – 12pm

Location: Trinity Hall

Price: £10

Get tickets: Email [email protected] including a delivery address for the main contact. Payment should be by cheque written out to Trinity Hall Crescent Club, and should have the name of the main contact on the back, and be put in the pigeon hole of Jamie Pollock.

Good for: Those who like their booze. The Facebook page proclaims: “This is the FIRST EVENT OF MAY WEEK 2011! More booze than you can shake a stick at, in delicious cocktail form.”

Bad for: Anyone who likes to know what is in their drink, rather than a cocktail mixed by the society whose initiations made it to the front page of The Sunday Times’ magazine last year.

TRINITY HALL

Time: 1pm – 5pm

Location: Fellows’ Garden, Trinity College

Price: £14

Get tickets: Email [email protected] remembering to include your name?, the number of tickets you are requesting,? and the names of the ticketholders. ??Payment can be made by putting cash or cheque (payable to Trinity Hall) in A.Kendall’s pigeonhole in the Porter’s Lodge.

Good for: Beautiful settings and a low ticket price.

Bad for: Those who like knowing exactly what it is they are attending.

DOWNING TRIBAL BARBECUE

Time: 7pm – 10pm

Location: The Paddock, Downing College

Get tickets: On sale shortly. Email any questions to Ed Saunders at [email protected]. SOLD OUT.

Good for: Pimm’s lovers – the event promises an endless supply.

Bad for: Pimm’s lovers – the event’s disclaimer admits the supply may not quite be endless.

MURRAY EDWARDS

Time: 4pm – 9pm

Location: Murray Edwards

Price: £20

Get tickets: Make cheques, with your name, college, and hermes on the back, payable to NEWHALL ENTS and send to E . Read or G .Harris at Murray Edwards.

Good for: Wannabe hippies – it’s woodstock themed.

Bad for: The financially challenged, since it’s one of the pricier parties.

SQUIRE’S

Location: tbc

Get tickets: Waiting list only.

Good for: Drinking societies – ticket preference is given to societies.

Bad for: Those not in a drinking society; see above.

IDLER’S

Time: 12pm – 3.30pm

Location: Ivy Court, Pembroke College

Price: £12

Get tickets: Email [email protected], or ask any Idler in person. Discounts available for drinking societies above a certain size.

Good for: Cocktails and jazz.

Bad for: Thrill-seekers, since this event promises to be classy, not messy.

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Tuesday 21st June

NEWNHAM JCR GARDEN PARTY

Time: 12pm – 4pm

Location: Newnham

Price: £17.50

Get tickets: Send cash or a cheque payable to Newnham Garden Party to Newnham Plodge.

Good for: The ‘day at the seaside’ theme promises a relaxed, beachy vibe.

Bad for: Those looking for a rowdier, party atmosphere.

Running a garden party? Contact [email protected] to feature in our guide.