May Ball Teaches Us How to Say Goodbye
A fourth year reviews her final fete.
Every May sees the best and brightest of St Andrews heading once more to Kinkell Byre to for a night of champagne and celebrations before the start of exams. And no one throws a ball quite like the Kate Kennedy Club, who welcomed over 2000 guests to the biggest event of the year.
While dinner saw guests bussing over at 5:15, VIP and standard ticket holders were given ample time to drink before getting on the coaches or grabbing a taxi in the evening. Upon entry into Kinkell, VIP guests were greeted with a champagne reception, and were free to mill about the venue before festivities began and the VIP section opened. While this allowed plenty of time to hit the bar, many guests were impatiently waiting for rides to start and the much sought-after VIP area and all of its perks to finally open. Such perks included a stand with champagne popsicles, a chocolate fountain, plenty of seating, a large bar, and fantastic music throughout the night.
Guests were welcomed by a live band at the entrance to the venue, before entering the familiar site of a massive crowd dancing along with drinks in hand. The crowd was far less excited after a few trips to the bar, when they were greeted with massive queues for the loo, which will forever be the biggest problem with Kinkell events. Top that off with a serious lack of water in the men’s loos, and many guests were less than impressed. While this is not necessarily under the control of our gracious hosts, it’s certainly a mistake that needs to be taken care of in the future.
The music was phenomenal, with the major highlight being the night’s headline act, Felix Jaehn. Guests could be seen waving large glow sticks as they danced by the main stage and throughout the rest of the venue, providing plenty of space despite the massive crowds. The bars all had surprisingly quick service throughout the evening, with prices as reasonable as can be expected at a St Andrews event. While most guests chose to buy a bottle (or a few) of champagne, others opted to spend their cash outside at the ever sought-after Blackhorn stand, which itself is reason enough to go to an event, if you ask me.
The highlight of the night was definitely the endless rides, which provided a welcome break from the heat of the dance floor. While screams could be heard from those who braved La Bamba all night, guests were queued up from start to finish to get on the spinning, twisting, rides that were scattered just outside the doors. As a fourth year, the evening was bitter sweet as it signalled my final trip to Kinkell as a St Andrews student. But what a fantastic way to go out. May Ball remains a definite favourite to most St Andreans, as it is certainly a ball that goes above and beyond any other event in the Bubble. As always, thank you to the Kate Kennedy Club for giving us another night to remember, and for all those lucky enough to spend a few more years on the East Fife Coast, keep an eye out for more extravagant black tie evenings provided by the KK.
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