Luton Borough Council

15/07/2025 - Free family events programme kicks off next week in Luton town centre

Luton Council is excited to announce the return of its popular free family events summer programme, kicking off next week in the town centre.

Following last year’s success, the programme enters its second year with another exciting lineup of activities for families to enjoy.

Activities on offer include a wide-range of family-friendly options such as the outdoor cinema, storytelling, dance workshops, outdoor games and more.

Returning favourites to Hat Gardens pocket park include:

‘Storytelling on the Steps’ is back every Friday from 25 July to 29 August at 3pm providing captivating and engaging tales.
‘Summer Outdoor Cinema’ returns on Saturday 23 August with three fantastic family films. Enjoy Inside Out 2 (3pm), Paddington in Peru (5pm), and Wicked (7pm). Bring the family and grab a deckchair or bean bag and relax in the open air by the River Lea.

Market Hill amphitheatre will host a number of exciting workshops:

Little ones can enjoy lively dance parties and games during ‘Taleshaker Tuesdays’ every Tuesday from 29 July to 26 August, with sessions at 12pm, 1pm and 2pm.
An Indian dance workshop will take place on Saturday 16 August from 12pm to 4pm where families will be able to watch and learn Bollywood-Bhangra dance moves and create their own beautiful mandala art.

St George’s Square will become a hub for active family-fun:

A ‘Square Play Day’ will be held on the square on Saturday 26 July from 11am to 4pm with games and activities for parents and children including mini golf, soft archery, as well as circus skills and pavement chalking workshops.

Plus, there’s a fantastic prize up for grabs! Families have a chance to win a £150 toy voucher by attending at least three different events and collecting a secret word from each one. For more information on the competition, visit: place.stepforwardluton.co.uk/summerintown.

Councillor James Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Inclusive Economy at Luton Council said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing back our most popular events whilst building on previous years with new ideas we hope will create long-lasting memories for families. This summer programme offers residents and visitors a wonderful opportunity to explore our town centre, discover new activities, and reimagine these spaces in unexpected ways.

“Our aim is to make the programme accessible to all participants by keeping these events cost-free and spread across multiple town centre locations, creating a vibrant community atmosphere throughout the summer months.”

In addition to the schedule for families, Summer Sounds is back on selected Saturdays, Morning Yoga returns to Hat Gardens every Tuesday from 29 July to 2 September, and live sports screenings will be showing throughout the summer including the Women’s Euros and The Hundred Cricket following on from Wimbledon.

Residents can also enjoy community boxing in St George’s Square every Wednesday evening from 23 July to 27 August with ‘Fitness in the Square’.

All family-friendly ‘Summer in Town’ events are funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

For the full timetable of events in Luton town centre this summer, visit: luton.gov.uk/summer-in-town.