Summary

  • Live updates from the 2026 Luton International Carnival

  • This year marks a golden milestone - it is the event's 50th anniversary

  • Crowds are packing the town centre for the vibrant parade, which started at about 13:00 BST

  • More than 700 people are taking part, many in spectacular costumes

  • The parade heads to Wardown Park, where the party goes on until about 18:00

Live Reporting

Updates by Zoe Applegate; edited by Gareth George

  1. Flying the flag for samba

    Amber Amber Ogunsanya-William is dressed in a pink wig and is looking directly at the camera. She is smiling and is wearing an elaborate headpiece and is holding a flag.Emma Baugh/BBC

    Amber Ogunsanya-William travels around the country to fly the flag at carnivals for the Paraiso School of Samba.

    The Londoner joined the samba band when she was just five. She trained in Portugal for the honour of acting as flagbearer, which she says holds "so much significance and importance".

    She says it is a pleasure to take part in a carnival as it "really does change a life just for the day - you forget about your worries... and you can just have fun, and enjoy each other's company".

    A woman in an extravagant pink, green and white outfit with a wide hooped skirt, and feathers coming off it, holds a red and white flag.Emma Baugh/BBC

  2. Take suncream and a hat - temperatures due to hit 29C

    Temperatures in Luton are expected to hit 29C (84F) by 16:00, according to the Met Office.

    So the advice is: don't forget to pack a hat and suncream - and take some water too.

  3. Excitement building in Wardown Park

    Six people with their arms around each other stand in a line and pose for a photo. They are smiling. There are trees, cars and stalls are behind them.Lily-May Symonds/BBC

    Carnival fever is intensifying in Wardown Park, the hub of the celebrations.

    Stalls brimming with scrumptious food, brightly-coloured clothes and sparkling jewellery glistening in the sun are being set up.

    And they are starting to bring in the crowds, ahead of the parade starting over at Market Hill at 13:00 BST. Not long to go now.

    A row of stalls being set upLily-May Symonds/BBC

  4. Steel drums at the ready!

    Lots of black music cases on the grass by a bandstand with an Acoustic Zone sign,Lily-May Symonds/BBC

    This is a band that don't travel light!

    Its members are about to unpack a van-load of cases ready to bring some essential steel-drum band sounds. The carnival crowds will be bouncing along to the infectious rhythms.

    For now though, there's some heavy work to do - lifting all those steel drums out of the cases.

  5. 'Just like family'

    Marilyn Gearing, 88, has been involved with Luton Carnival since it began.

    During the 1954 Easter Bonnet Parade, the then 15-year-old beat six other hopefuls to be crowned Luton's first hat queen. She remained involved with celebrations in the town and was there in 1976.

    Marilyn Gearing in a long purple coat is standing in a large room full of carnival costumes, floor to ceilingDanny Fullbrook/BBC

    Marilyn still makes costumes for the carnival

    This year she will be on a float with other "carnival legends" celebrating the event's 50th anniversary, but she has still found time to help with the preparations.

    "I really do love the people here. They are just like family. They really are lovely,” she said.

    Read more about Marilyn

  6. Group to celebrate 'whole of Indian culture' at parade

    Four girls stand at the back with gold costumes, flanking Blenda Shibu, who is wearing a red and gold sari and gold choker. There is a buy wearing a red turban and white shirt kneeling at the front, with two girls in bright blue costumes. They are kneeling next to a person dressed in a tiger costume.Emma Baugh/BBC

    Blenda Shibu, from the Luton Malayali Samajam group, who is originally from Kerala, in India, says the carnival gives her members the chance to "showcase the whole of Indian culture".

    The 49-year-old (pictured centre, back row) says she has lived in Luton for 17 years and it is the second time her group has taken part in the parade.

    "We are so many miles away from India, but at the same time our culture and traditions are so well rooted that we think we should definitely showcase [them]... we're proud," she says.

    Shibu says the children in the group are "so excited" about taking part, and it is a chance to remind them about India's culture and traditions.

  7. What was Luton Carnival like in the scorching summer of '76?

    Fifty years ago - during the driest summer since 1772 - Luton’s carnival began.

    A man sunbathes in a deckchair in Kensington Gardens topless with a knotted handkerchief protecting his head from the sunshineGetty Images

    The summer of 1976 was one of the hottest and driest we've had

    The first event took place to mark Luton borough's centenary. There was a summer of celebrations, including Victorian fairs, parades and fancy dress.

    Marilyn Gearing, 88, was there.

    She said: "Everybody was dressed in Victorian costumes. Oh, it was wonderful... the girls had boaters on and Victorian blouses... boaters were everywhere."

    And it was quite a summer.

    Then unknown film director George Lucas was filming something called Star Wars nearby in Elstree, Brotherhood of Man had just won Eurovision for the UK and Elton John and Kiki Dee had spent six weeks at number one.

    Though, with Elton’s Watford FC ties, he may not have been everyone’s carnival soundtrack of choice.

  8. What time does Luton Carnival start?

    And which roads are closed?

    The main event is the parade, which begins at about 13:00 BST at Market Hill.

    The procession will make its way to Wardown Park, arriving by about 14:00. There's music in the park from 12:00.

    Participants in the carnival procession are dressed in turquoise and silver costumes.Getty Images

    There will be road closures across the town centre. There have been restrictions in place since about 08:00 on roads such as Church Street and Park Street.

    Flowers Way and Castle Street have also been closed since 08:00. They are expected to reopen at about 15:00.

    Most central routes through Luton will be closed from 11:00 or 12:00 until 15:30, though major sections, including New Bedford Road and surrounding streets, will remain shut until 19:00.

    Bedfordshire Police said it would make sure any closures were correctly implemented and lifted as quickly as possible.

    FInd out more about plans for the day here.

  9. It's a glorious day for a carnival. If you're going to watch or if you're in the parade - stay safe in the sun.

  10. 'It’s an everybody thing’

    Margaret Matthew, 86, is known as "Auntie Margaret" by her fellow costume makers behind-the-scenes at Luton Carnival.

    Margaret Matthew is wearing a putple T-shirt with a ST Kitts, Nevis & Friends logo. She is sitting in a room full of carnival costumes.Nicola Haseler/BBC

    Originally from the Caribbean island of St Kitts, she grew up with the carnival tradition, but only intended to find work and raise a family when she first moved to Luton.

    She now leads a group called St Kitts, Nevis & Friends, who have won awards for their costumes from Luton and other carnivals around the country.

    She said: "Carnival is not a one nation thing, it's not a one-person thing, it's not a one culture thing. It's an everybody thing.

    "When you hear that music, carnival music is big, it's loud and it makes you want to dance- and I love to dance."

    Read more about Margaret

  11. There will be live updates here as we follow the big event.

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