There's always rumours, it seems to be Trin and Johns that actually have the money to make them come. We had some radio1 dj last year, and it wasn't very impressive, a live band would have been much cooler.
I think balls just provide an excuse for relaxing after the exams and indulging a bit.
These pics are of the empties of one bar at last years ball, it probably doesn't compare to the empties of Trin, but for a fairly small ball ~800-900 I think, and one bar it's not too bad.
http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~rhw27/photos/picture.cgi?scan03w018-20.jpghttp://www.srcf.ucam.org/~rhw27/photos/picture.cgi?scan03w018-15-edited.jpgLast year at Clare there was a bouncy slide thing, silent films, art around the pond, 2 dancefloors, swing boats (we broke one - not personally

), the mini coffee van thing that camps out in market square, a Shark stand, cocktail bar, gambling room, champagne bar, bottles bar, random bar, fake tatooing place, Midsummer House steak bar with another bottle bar, wine bar and band place, crepe makers, 'fire' show, sweet stand, 'luxury' portatoilets, comedy show, piano concert, hypnotist... and that's just what I noticed. There was probably much more because lots of stuff was happening concurrently.
Oh, garden jenga too, that was good too.
Thing is it seems variable upon what the committee is like that year, apparently Clare punted everyone into the ball a couple of years ago and although it took ages to get everyone in (the queues are bad enough as it is) it must have been so cool.
Alaric.