Enchanted Forest

If you go down to the woods today you’ll be in for a dark surprise. Let the enchanted forest bewitch you into losing yourself on the dance floor.

Ali Baba’s Cave

Rub the genies lamp and join Ali’s 40 thieves with a cave full of stolen treasure. Join the harem in the flying carpet seating lounge and indulge in an assortment of Arabian shisha pipes.

Underwater Kingdom

Let the sirens of the sea seduce you into the depths of our underwater kingdom! Rock out in the shipwreck bar but be careful that Davey Jones doesn’t catch you sipping on his cocktail treasure chests.

Hadouken

Hadouken! are a grindie, dance-punk band, from London. They've rightfully earned a rep as an amazing live act after a run of major festival appearances. Following their own sellout tour, Hadouken joined forces with d&b giants Pendulum, as the main support on their tour last year. Recording their new album with Ministry of Sound, Hadouken are ready to destroy the Summer Ball with a devastating new live show set.

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Nick Grimshaw

Nick Grimshaw is the UK’s freshest TV and Radio Presenter and he’s coming to Essex exclusively for the SU Summer Ball. He’s a regular presenter for T4 and E4 music and has his own show on Radio 1. With his distinctive Northern twang Grimmy’s the DJ that every celebrity wants to be friends with, so expect a DJ set jam-packed with tracks that will have you singing and dancing along!

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Lethal Bizzle

Lethal Bizzle is a MOBO award-winning icon of modern Grime and Urban.
His Number 1 single ‘POW’ is a hit of epic proportions that seems destined to be the anthem of this year’s Summer Ball.
Get ready to party with one of the UK best rappers when he performs his new track ‘Not a Saint’.
This is going to be a serious event…

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Snow Queens
Ice Palace

Tread carefully as you enter the Ice Queen’s frozen domain with snow, sleighs and vodka luges. Our main arena will play host to the nights most twisted moments.

Edible Gingerbread House

FREE: Follow Hansel and Gretel’s breadcrumbs to the Gingerbread house for a snack. But beware of the wicked witch as she doesn’t take kindly to those feasting on her candy, cake and chocolate house!

Happily Ever After Chapel

FREE: ‘Tie the knot’ with your own Prince or Princess & leave with your very own marriage certificate! But can you live happily ever after or will you be enticed into the darkness of our twisted tale.

Libertines DJ Set

It may be their scandalous history and rock n roll lifestyles that made them famous, but The Libertines can safely say that it’s their music that helped shape the modern rock and indie scene.
Drummer Gary Powell will be dropping classics like ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ and ‘Don’t Look Back into the Sun’ in his huge Rock and Indie DJ set.

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DJ First Rate

First Rate is a master scratch DJ, World DMC Team Champion and ITF European Scratching Champion. He’s supported acts such as the Beastie Boys, Paul Weller & Massive Attack. He is also a former Scratch Pervert, the genre defying DJ team. He has played all over the world and soon he’ll be mashing up a million genres of music to keep you dancing in Essex!

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Propaganda

 The UK’s biggest indie night comes to the Essex Summer Ball! Propaganda plays in 21 cities across the world every week. Spinning the very best indie music, and with dazzling visuals that’ll hypnotise you and your mates, you’d be a fool to miss it. Rock out to classics like Mr Brightside and Sweet Disposition that will make the ball a night to remember.

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Fairground rides

FREE: Searching for an extra rush? The thrills and chills are on us! Shock your senses on our fairground rides and scare yourself senseless on the haunted ghost train. But don’t blame us if you have nightmares.

Ice Rink

FREE: Step outside into the Palace’s frozen gardens where the evil snow queen turned the once beautiful pond into solid ice! Swap your shoes for blades and skate the night away under the stars on the exact same ice rink that was used for the Harrods Christmas advert.

Compass Bar

Are you dazed and confused in our twisted land? Weary travelers can refresh with ice-cold cocktails and choose their next path at the central point of the ball where time and space collide.

Abrantee

Choice FM’s No1 DJ & Afrobeats pioneer Abrantee will be spinning the decks on our main stage. Abrantee is at the pinnacle of the modern music scene and he’ll be bringing you a chocker-block set of mouth-watering beats that’s guaranteed to keep you wanting more. Download his latest mix for FREE on his website.

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Rockaoke

Ever wanted to be a rock star? Who hasn’t! Take the stage with your very own live rock band. Rockaoke have played at major festivals all over the UK and with countless celebrities, including the Chris Moyles Radio 1 tour. Live the dream with the UK’s best karaoke band and sing any rock anthem of your choice from Journey to The Beatles.

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Kings of Queen

A Queen tribute band topped our Facebook poll of acts that you wanted! You asked for it…so you got! The Kings of Queen are the best tribute act to ever grace our stage! They’re homage to the UK’s greatest rock n roll band will make you feel like Queen has made a comeback! A must-see for all Freddy Mercury fans!

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Graveyard of the fairytale villains

If you agree that the most wicked villains are the best ones then come pay your respects in the fairytale graveyard. We commemorate the lives of legendary villains like Captain Hook and Maleficent.

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Mouth-watering food market stalls

Navigating a fantasy world can be
mouth-watering work. Succumb to your gluttonous desires with your favourite festival foods from pizza, noodles, curry, burgers and chips.

The
Wishing Well

FREE: Toss a coin into the well and hope your darkest dreams come true but be careful what you wish for...

The Small
Personal Victories

The Small Personal Victories have been busy since their formation in January: featured on SX:TV; a guest at the Dance Society's annual show; and winners of the Battle of the Bands, they are determined to perform an unforgettable set for their fellow students at this year's Summer Ball.

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Dave
Johnson

Dave Johnson is one of the Uni’s best Resident DJs playing at Flirt every week. He has supported some major acts over the years including Judge Jules, Zane Lowe and Professor Green. He has great style from pop to rave so expect to be dancing by the time the bass drops!

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DNA
Deficient

DNA Deficient has been playing to student crowds for over 10 years. He has supported a variety of artists such as Tim Westwood, Sub Focus, Cut Up Boys and Judge Jules. Expect a mash up of genres from Indie to Electronic Dance music and everything in between!

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Gypsy fortune teller

Step up, step up!!
FREE: Do you dare venture into the depths of the unknown? Come to the old gypsy caravan where our wicked fortune teller will read your fate with tea leaves, crystal balls, palms and tarot cards. Perhaps she will reveal what's in store for the night ahead?!

Cinderella slippers

We don’t want you losing your glass heels like Cinderella, so here you’ll be able to exchange your shoes for some ballerina slippers to keep you going until the 5.30am survivors’ photo! You can even come prepared and store your own comfy shoes here for later in the night!

Photo Booth

Mirror mirror on the wall,
who’s the fairest of them all?
See if you compete with the Evil Queen at our Ball photo-booth. Also, look out for our roaming photographers who’ll be around the venues to capture those moments that you’d rather forget.

The Vault

Does shorter, faster queues at the bar sound good? We think so too, so we introduced a token system. Exchange your gold and silver for bar tokens at the ball’s vault. Plundered treasure also accepted.

Headphone Disco

3000 headphones makes for one colossal silent disco!
Is rock or rave your flavor?
Be entranced by the hypnotic tunes and dance though the hours of darkness.

Survivors’ photo

Have you slayed the dragon and endured the entire evening? If you’ve got the stamina to survive the night until 5.30am meet at the Compass Bar for the survivors’ photo, after all, sin never sleeps.