Welcome & Ethos
Get Ready for the 50th Anniversary of Luton International Carnival
Sunday 24th of May, 2026 - Venue TBC
Hosted by the UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA)
Check out the post carnival recap from our Luton Carnival Champion himself, actor and screen star, Colin Salmon
At UKCCA, we're passionate about bringing people together through vibrant, welcoming events that showcase the incredible richness of Luton's community. Our heart lies in connecting with young people and adults who deserve more chances to participate and shine.
From long-time Lutonians to those just calling this place home, everyone belongs at our celebrations. We're committed to weaving connections across all communities and cultures, embracing every race, religion, background, and ability that makes our town special.
The Luton International Carnival captures this spirit perfectly. It's where joyful traditions meet new friendships, where laughter echoes through the streets, and where families create memories together. Picture it as a living tapestry of celebration - where every thread of our community comes together to create something beautiful and unforgettable.
Our 49th annual Luton International Carnival was no exception to this magic. From spectacular performances to heartwarming moments of connection, this year's celebration truly brought our community together in the most wonderful ways. Keep reading to discover all the amazing highlights and special memories that made this milestone carnival one for the books!
Luton took a trip ‘Back to the Future’!
This year's Luton International Carnival took us on an incredible journey with its electrifying 'Back to the Future' theme!
Our Luton Association of Mas (costume) Bands, schools, and amazing community groups pulled out all the stops with fantastically futuristic costumes that had you looking for your flux capacitor!
You saw local Luton costume bands leading the way, like UKCCA's own Mas Incorporated, alongside The Ghana Society, Pride in Luton, Luton Council, Luton Town Football Club, and local schools and community groups. We also had bands from all over the UK, like Mas Africa from London, Zodiac All Stars from Nottingham, Original Step Performers from Leicester, and All New Beginnings from London, and graduates of UKCCA's artistic development programme.
With approximately 700 participants who strutted their stuff, this year's parade was a kaleidoscopic celebration of Luton's diverse community. We hope you didn't miss this chance to witness Luton's most vibrant cultural event as it danced between yesterday, today, and tomorrow!
A Carnival extravaganza, Luton style!
We were thrilled to welcome amazing bands and costumed paraders from our sister events across the UK, including Notting Hill, Nottingham, Leicester, Leeds and Manchester.
The fun didn't stop there! The Step Forward Luton Chill Out Area was at the Hat Gardens, along with a host of other exciting activities throughout the day. Astro Aaron's Space Blast Off Adventure took place at Luton Central Library, offering young explorers an immersive 40-minute cosmic journey where they crafted "Astro Carnival Helmets’. The Point hosted hands-on carnival workshops from 12PM-5PM, where families could create stunning carnival accessories with expert guidance. The Acoustic Zone featured performances by Steel Pan in Motion and UFO, while the Performance Zone at St. George's Square showcased the various costumes in all their colourful glory.
And to tantalize taste buds, we had a global cultural festival of food and crafts stalls. We hope everyone came hungry and ready to explore!
Luton Carnival was proud to have our returning Carnival Champion
We were so lucky to have local actor Colin Salmon grace our Luton International Carnival last year, and we were thrilled that he returned for an encore performance as our champion for 2025!
Colin used his power to spread the word about the carnival on social media in the lead-up to the event. But that's not all! He also brought his steel band, UFO, to add some lively tunes to the Luton International Carnival's Acoustic Steel Pan Zone, alongside performances by Steel Pan in Motion.
The carnival was full of music, community spirit, and we were delighted that our local celebrity champion joined us for this amazing celebration!
Sustainable Celebrations lit up Luton!
Luton International Carnival didn't just turn up the volume on entertainment - we turned down our carbon footprint too! This year's celebration continued our commitment to planet-friendly partying with exciting sustainable initiatives that proved going green doesn't mean sacrificing fun.
E-Cargo bikes from Luton Council's innovative E-Cargo scheme wove through the procession once again! These electric-assisted champions carried carnival equipment, supplies, and were even dressed up as mini-floats, whilst producing zero emissions. We also transformed Tesco trolleys into colourful parade floats, made possible by the Greener Futures fund and supported by our friends at Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation. It was carnival magic powered by clean energy!
Our carnival wasn't just a day of celebration - it was a colourful demonstration of how community events can contribute to Luton's vision for a cleaner, greener future. Costumes worn for this year's carnival were created from recycled materials, and we used environmentally friendly electric-powered sound systems, including body speakers from We Are Stems and sound boxes from Just in Time.
Following last year's success, our dedicated Green Board Champion, Louise Allen, worked to help transform Luton International Carnival into a blueprint for sustainable celebrations. We didn't just create memories - we created a model for how festivals can thrive whilst protecting our planet.
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A big shout-out to our amazing supporters!
We couldn't put on this incredible carnival without the help of our fantastic funders, sponsors, and partners. Theirsupport makes it all possible! Thank you for being part of the Luton International Carnival family!