The town of Luton has a long history of parades and processions, which can be traced back to the guild feasts of the 1400s. These days the town’s best-known celebration is the annual Luton International Carnival (LIC).
Luton Carnival in its present form began in 1976 and has grown to become, it’s claimed, the biggest one-day carnival in the UK. Here’s a brief timeline:
- 1945 Luton celebrates the end of the Second World War (VE Day)
- 1976 The first Luton Carnival
- 1998 Gains international status
- 2009 UK Centre for Carnival Arts set up in Luton
- 2012 Themed An Olympic Carnival
- 2020-2021 Carnival off the road due to Covid-19.
Carnival, though, is resilient. Last year, Luton-based UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA), in partnership with LIC stakeholders, managed to create a little sparkle in the hearts of Britain’s children through the launch of National Children’s Carnival Week.
Saturday 4 June 2022 will mark the return of Luton International Carnival, which will celebrate its 46th year as part of the town’s Jubilee Weekend, coinciding with the Platinum Jubilee of the Queen’s reign. The theme for this year is Our World, Our Future and the day will be filled with excitement, fun, colour and entertainment for all the family.
