Editing Luton (section)

==Culture==

===Architecture===
{{See also|Listed buildings in Luton}}
The town contains 92 listed buildings.<ref name="auto"/>

===Leisure and entertainment===

====Luton International Carnival====
{{Main|Luton International Carnival}}
[[Luton International Carnival]] is the largest one-day [[carnival]] in Europe. It usually takes place on the late May Bank Holiday. Crowds can reach 150,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/do_that/2004/05/carnival/carnival_day.shtml|title=Luton Carnival Coverage on the BBC|access-date=16 June 2008}}</ref> on each occasion.

The procession starts at [[Wardown Park]] and makes its way down New Bedford Road, around the town centre via St George's Square, back down New Bedford Road and finishes back at Wardown Park. There are music stages and stalls around the town centre and at Wardown Park.

Luton is home to the UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA),<ref>{{cite web |title=UKCCA |url=https://www.carnivalarts.org.uk/ |website=UK Centre for Carnival Arts |language=en}}</ref> the country's first purpose-built facility of its kind.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.carnivalarts.org.uk/Aboutus.aspx |title= About the UK Centre for Carnival Arts|access-date=5 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211012208/http://www.carnivalarts.org.uk/Aboutus.aspx |archive-date=11 February 2014}}</ref>

====Luton St Patrick's Festival====
The festival celebrating the patron saint of Ireland [[St Patrick]] and organised by Luton Irish Forum,<ref name="irish-forum" /> is held on the weekend nearest to [[Saint Patrick's Day|17 March]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2005/03/01/st_patricks_day_preview_feature.shtml |title=Beds Herts and Bucks – Why Don't You – Luton's turning green! |publisher=BBC |access-date=17 March 2013}}</ref> In its 20th year in 2019,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lutonirishforum.org/Feb2011.pdf |title=Luton Irish Forum – St patrick's festival |access-date=17 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309170857/http://www.lutonirishforum.org/Feb2011.pdf |archive-date=9 March 2012  }}</ref> the festival includes a parade, market stalls and music stands as well as Irish themed events.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/lut-news/St-Patrick39s-Day-party-is.3841594.jp |title=St Patrick's Day party is coming to Luton |publisher=Luton Today |access-date=17 March 2013}}</ref>

====Luton Mela====
The first Luton [[Melā]] took place in August 2000 and has developed into one of the most significant and well attended [[South Asia]]n cultural events in the eastern region.

====City of Culture bid and pilot year====
Luton Council's strategic vision for the Arts, and Cultural and Creative industries includes the plan to bid for City of Culture Status. This plan includes a pilot year with the theme of Peace Riots starting in Spring 2019.<ref name="auto"/> Events will be published on the Luton.Events website.

===Theatre and performing arts===
Luton is home to the Library Theatre, a 238-seat theatre located on the 3rd floor of the town's Central Library. The theatre's programme consists of local amateur dramatic societies, pantomime, children's theatre (on Saturday mornings) and one night shows of touring theatre companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shoutluton.com/entertainment/page2.html|title=Shout Luton Theatre Guide|access-date=16 June 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624084328/http://www.shoutluton.com/entertainment/page2.html|archive-date=24 June 2008}}</ref>

Luton is also home to the Hat Factory, originally as its name suggests, this arts centre was in fact a real hat factory. The Hat Factory is a combined arts venue in the centre of Luton. It opened in 2003 and since then has been the area's main provider of contemporary theatre, dance and music. The venue provides live music, club nights, theatre, dance, films, children's activities, workshops, classes and gallery exhibitions.

===Media===

====Newspapers====
The [[Luton News]], now online as [[Luton Today]]. Former journalists include comedy screenwriter [[David Renwick]], author of [[One Foot in the Grave]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 August 2011 |title=Knowing where you want to end before you start... |url=https://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/arts-and-culture/knowing-where-you-want-to-end-before-you-start-2395999 |access-date=24 July 2024 |website=Luton Today}}</ref>

====Radio====
* [[BBC Three Counties Radio]], the local [[BBC]] station, broadcasts from its office in Dunstable to [[Bedfordshire]], Hertfordshire and [[Buckinghamshire]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-12424116 |title=BBC Three Counties Radio|publisher=BBC News |date=10 February 2011 |access-date=21 January 2018}}</ref>
* Diverse FM<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.diversefm.com |title=Diverse FM|access-date=16 June 2008}}</ref> began broadcasts in April 2007 having been awarded a [[community radio]] licence from [[Ofcom]].
* [[Radio LaB]] (formerly Luton FM), the university's radio station, began broadcasting full-time in 2010 having been awarded a [[community radio]] licence from [[Ofcom]].

====Television====
* Luton is served by London and East Anglia regional variations of the [[BBC]] and [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]. Television signals are received from either [[Crystal Palace transmitting station|Crystal Palace]] or [[Sandy Heath transmitting station|Sandy Heath]] TV transmitters. However, the local relay transmitter for Luton only broadcast programmes from [[Norwich]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Luton | title=Luton (Luton, England) Freeview Light transmitter | date=May 2004 }}</ref>

===Local attractions===
[[File:GOC Leagrave to Harpenden 042 Wardown Park House, Luton (8558551071).jpg|thumb|[[Wardown Park Museum]] – one of two museums run by Luton Culture]]

* [[Dunstable Downs]]
* [[Leagrave Park]]
* [[Leighton Buzzard Light Railway]]
* [[The Hat Factory]]
* [[Luton Hoo]]
* [[Someries Castle]]
* [[Stockwood Discovery Centre]]
* [[Stockwood Park]]
* [[Wardown Park]]
* [[Wardown Park Museum]]
* [[Waulud's Bank]]
* [[Whipsnade Tree Cathedral]]
* [[Whipsnade Zoo]]
* [[Woburn Safari Park]]
* [[Woodside Farm and Wildfowl Park]]
* [[Wrest Park]]