Latest news with #LutonCarnival
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
EastEnders actor Colin Salmon: 'Don't look down on Luton'
Eastenders actor Colin Salmon has championed Luton after it hosted its 49th carnival. The star, who also appeared in James Bond films and Strictly Come Dancing, grew up in the Bedfordshire year the 63-year-old was appointed Luton International Carnival Champion and plays at the event with his steelband "UFO".He said: "People look down on it ... but it has a great history. It's ancient, Luton, and you can feel it." "Every village and town has a history of carnival and festival, so it's great for people to bring their flavour to the pot," he Carnival, hosted by the UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA), started in 1976 and was inspired by African-Caribbean actor said he hoped the celebration would inspire children in the town and give them a sense of "belonging".He said: "To see your parents celebrated and clapped, and yourself, your culture, it changes your mindset."You know you have value but this affirms it, we celebrate that, not look down on it, and it's important." This year there were no trucks to move the carnival floats, so celebrations were instead on foot and with said the new approach meant sound systems did not have to be as loud to be heard over engine noises."By having it all green it means we bring [the volume] all down. "For some SEN people it's overpowering... It starts to become much more manageable for everybody."You know, fossil fuel, we don't need it. We can push, we can walk, we can cycle, we can make it work." 'Massive' The 49th event was themed on "Back to The Future".Salmon's steel band played a mix of classic and modern songs to meet the actor, who has also starred in Dr Who, added: "We're not just dwelling on the past. We're always going forward."The UK Centre for Carnival Arts is here. So they're always thinking about what the plan is and they're planning for next year, which is the future, by celebrating the now and the past."We are getting ready for the 50th next year which is gonna be massive." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
What can I expect at Luton Carnival?
The organisers of an annual carnival that attracts thousands of people say it aims to celebrate a town's "amazing diversity" theme for the 49th Luton International Carnival, on Sunday, 25 May, is "Back to the Future". The event, hosted by the UK Centre for Carnival Arts (UKCCA), started in 1976 and was inspired by African-Caribbean culture. Here is a guide to the colourful, family-friendly event. What is the route? The event takes place in the centre of Luton. It will be set up and start at Church Street then makes its way through the town, via George Street, the Town Hall, and Alma Street. It then stops off at the performance area at St George's Square, and then continues down Guilford Street, before it sets down at Silver Street, outside The Point shopping centre. What are the timings? The carnival starts at 12:00 BST in St George's Square, where there will be family entertainment. The main parade, through the town is from 13:00 to about 16:45-17:00. Once it is finished, the fun will continue in St George's Square with after-parade entertainment until 18:00, when the day ends. What roads will be closed? A number of town centre roads will be closed on the day. They are Alma Link, Alma Street, Bridge Street, Bute Street, Church Street, Collingdon Street, Dunstable Place, Flowers Way, George Street, Gordon Street, Guildford Street, Library Road, Manchester Street, New Bedford Road, Park Street, Park Street West, Peel Street, Silver Street, St George's Square, Upper George Street, and Wellington Street. Where can I park? As the centre of the town will be closed, there is no specific pick-up and drop off area, or designated parking, but anyone visiting the town is advised to come via the railway station, or park at the Midland Road Station car park, or Regent Street car park. What can you expect to see? As the theme is Back to the Future, organisers want anyone coming to "jump in your time machine and accelerate to 88mph" (not on a public highway, obviously).They said about 800 people were expected to participate in the parade showing off "a kaleidoscopic celebration of Luton's diverse community", as they dance and move through the town. Those strutting their stuff will include Mas Incorporated, Pride in Luton, Luton Council, Luton Town Football Club, schools, community groups and bands including 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. What else is happening on the day? From 11:00 until 13:00 Astro Aaron's Space Blast Off Adventure will take place at Luton Central Library on St George's Square, with an early session designed for children with special needs, followed by another session for anyone, with just 30 tickets available, from 12:00. The final performance will then take place at 14:00. Afterwards, there will be an interactive Carnival Workshop at Luton Point, where families can "participate, not spectate", from 12:00 to 17:00. If anyone needs a break, they can relax and recharge at the Chill Out Zone the Hat Gardens on Bute Street, from 12:00 to 15:00. From 12:00 the Acoustic Zone will open, which is next to the Town Hall. It will feature performances throughout the day by Steel Pan in Motion and the UFO Steelband. Where should I go for help? If there are any issues during the parade spectators are advised to find a volunteer or steward, who will be dotted along the route and in St George's Square. The lost child zone will be at Luton Central Library and for any other issues people are advised to head to the Family Zone, at the Hat Gardens. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Luton Carnival organisers hope to inspire youth to carry it on
As Luton Carnival celebrates its 49th year, organisers say its future can be secured by inspiring the next generation. With a theme of 'Back to the Future', this year's event has an eye on guaranteeing the celebration for years to come. From truck-free floats to children designing costumes, keeping the carnival alive is a focus for the generations of Lutonians behind the scenes. Confidence boost Janet Skepple has been attending Luton Carnival for 19 years and admits it is smaller than it used to be. "It doesn't seem like it's a carnival, it's more like a festival... Hopefully, we can get back to that," she says. She is now the learning, participation and admin assistant at Carnival Arts, which organises the 61-year-old explains it is important to inspire future generations to secure the event's future and adds: "The plan is for me to take my skills and pass them on."We have three children who have designed their own costumes, literally from beginning to end. They've done the drawings, they've been here building it, and now they're decorating it."By the time they're teenager, they're not going to think 'this is not cool'... It's part of their history and they'll keep it going." The grandmother got into carnival because of her mother, who took her to Notting Hill then, every generation of her family has attended the event in Luton"My son, who is now 40, was six weeks old when he did his first carnival," she adds."Now his children are now doing carnival with us."It's a confident boost for the children who don't have confidence to go out there and do something that is not seen to be the thing to be doing." 'I made 25 costumes' Ruth Reid is a co-owner of Mas Incorporated, a group dedicated to passing on the passion for carnival costume first got involved with Luton Carnival through her daughter, who was involved with the event's band in year, the 38-year-old made her first carnival costume as part of a development course; this year, she has created 25 outfits for the says: "We started in January making the costumes, even that was a short space of time between January and carnival in May."Like many in the town, she has fond memories of the event over the years and is optimistic it can be a defining part of the calendar. She recalls: "I remember coming down with my kids and really enjoying the day, it was a fantastic day."It's not the same as how it used to be, I understand why, with the budget cuts and everything - hopefully we can get to the point we're back to how it used to be and maybe better as well. Sustainable future Chanice Thomas says this year's theme will see traditional costumes "a little bit more futurised".She adds there is also a conscious effort to consider the festival's environmental impact, and only one petrol vehicle was used in 2024."This year there will be no trucks on the road, to reduce emissions, and body speakers will be used instead of sound systems to cut down on noise pollution," Ms Thomas tells the BBC. "For the large floats we're building, we're now using trolleys as well, you won't see them, but there will be trolleys going down the parade with beautiful floats built up on top of them."She explains that e-bikes will also be used to carry smaller speakers around the have also been recycling materials from previous years to make all the says: "What we're doing is teaching [children] how to reuse materials that would be thrown away."We live in a generation where everything is disposable very quickly. We're now teaching the younger generations not to waste their time buying these things when we can use what we already got." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
