Cambridge Lindy Exchange swings in tonight, with a Sunday tea dance open to all
Five parties, four bands and a murder mystery: CLX 2026 opens in Eddington this evening. Weekend passes have closed, but anyone can pay at the door for Sunday's tea dance.
Dust off the dancing shoes and pack a bike light: the Cambridge Lindy Exchange, known to its regulars as CLX, opens tonight, Friday 30 October, and runs through Sunday 1 November. The organisers, Cambridge Swing Dance, announce the weekend with a cheerful "We're back!" on their event page, and promise five parties with live bands across the weekend.
A Lindy exchange is not a festival of workshops. It is a weekend of social dancing, where visitors from other towns join the local scene for parties, food and friendship. Cambridge's version adds a few eccentric extras of its own.
The weekend at a glance
- Friday, 7.30pm to midnight: "Represent your Scene" night at Storey's Field Centre, Eddington, with the Swing Shouters, a French band from Tours who play 1930s and 1940s standards. Dancers are invited to wear their home scene's colours.
- Saturday morning: a 5k parkrun around Brook Leys lake in Eddington, gathering at 8.45am. Walk, jog or run, then coffee and cake.
- Saturday, 11am to 4.30pm: board games, socialising and taster sessions at Storey's Field: capoeira and steals, improv, street dance and singing.
- Saturday night, 7.30pm to midnight: a murder mystery ball with the Swing Shouters. Costumes are optional.
- Saturday afterparty, midnight to 3.30am: a silent disco at Marleigh Community Centre with Dr Burns, running from disco and Northern Soul to blues.
- Sunday, noon to 4pm: the tea dance at Storey's Field with Harry Evans and His Flying Squirrels.
- Sunday, 4pm until closing: pub dancing at The Old Spring with Django's Tiger, who play in the manner of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. Balboa and shag are popular here.
Can you still go?
Full weekend tickets were sold in advance only, and online sales closed at midnight on Thursday 29 October. Because the venues are small, there are no tickets for single parties. The exception is the Sunday tea dance: door tickets cost £15, and payment is by card or contactless only. Bakers are asked to bring a cake and list its ingredients for anyone with allergies.
So if you live within reach of Cambridge and have never seen a big swing weekend, Sunday afternoon is your chance to watch, dance and eat cake to a live band from London.
Getting there
The organisers' FAQ has sensible advice for drivers and cyclists:
- Park free at Madingley Road Park and Ride, about a seven-minute walk from Storey's Field.
- Eddington Avenue has a camera-enforced bus gate, so approach by Turing Way or the Park and Ride.
- The U bus into town stops at about 10.30pm, so plan your ride home after evening dances.
- For the Marleigh afterparty, park at Newmarket Road Park and Ride. Marleigh has no bar, so bring your own; Storey's Field has a licensed bar, so outside alcohol is not allowed there.
The event follows a code of conduct and a Safer Spaces Policy, both published on the Cambridge Swing Dance website.
Elsewhere this weekend
Not heading east? Halloween falls on Saturday, and swing socials are running up and down the country. Our what's on listings show dated events by town, and the festivals calendar lists the bigger weekends still to come this season.
How to join in
Exchanges like CLX are where many dancers end up after a term or two of classes. If you are new, start with our guide to what Lindy Hop is and what to expect at your first class. Cambridge dancers can find weekly sessions on our Cambridge classes page, and everyone else can use classes near me to find the nearest beginners' night.
Find it on Swing Out UK
Sources
- Cambridge Swing Dance – Cambridge Lindy Exchange (CLX)
- Cambridge Swing Dance – CLX timetable
- Cambridge Swing Dance – CLX FAQ
Part of the Gazette's daily front page. See every edition or October 2026.