Editing Luton (section)

===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.