Welcome to our latest What’s On showcasing events at the Hat Factory, Stockwood Discovery Centre and Wardown House, Museum and Gallery.
We have a bumper season of events including Summer at Stockwood, October half-term and Christmas, with our ever-popular and ever-growing festive light trail: Illuminated now on sale.
Or perhaps great night outs in Luton are more your thing? Based next to the station with plenty of parking nearby, the Hat Factory Arts Centre offers a full programme of unforgettable music and comedy. Don’t pass up the opportunity to see well-known and up-and-coming artists. Experience unique acts in our intimate surroundings and enjoy a drink or two at the Hat Factory bar.
And don’t forget you can visit Stockwood Discovery Centre and Wardown House, Museum and Gallery completely free-of-charge. Enjoy our free galleries and exhibitions along with a series of popular ticketed events including the return of Colourscape and Stockwood Living History Festival. Both venues are open seven days a week in the summer holidays.
As ever, we couldn’t make all this happen without the funding and encouragement of our sponsors – Luton Rising, Luton Council and Arts Council England – many thanks for your support.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our venues soon.
Rachael Donlan, Head of Public
Programmes
Comedy at the Hat Factory
Experience the stand-up stars of today and tomorrow at the Hat Factory. Our performers regularly appear on Taskmaster, Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo and many more.
Pre-summer we have a mixture of Edinburgh preview shows and established stand-ups including Aaron Simmonds popping in to try out his new show. As we move into the Autumn, our programme features Alfie Brown, described as “Quite simply the future of British stand-up” (The List), Rich Hall with “Chin Music” and Tez Ilyas with his own brand of smart, silly and subversive humour. Jenny Talia, well-known for her cult following, joins us in November with her show “Without Adult Supervision”
Rich Hall
Jenny Talia
Right: Tez Ilyas:
Comedy at the Hat Factory
Rob Auton & Cecily Hitchcock
Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Preview: Rob Auton & Cecily Hitchcock
Fri 5 Jun / 8pm
£12, 16+
Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Preview: Sara Barron & James Trickey
Sat 4 Jul / 8pm
£12, 16+
Aaron Simmonds Death: WIP
Thu 9 Jul / 8pm
£12, 16+
Scott Bennett: Stuff
Fri 11 Sep / 7.30pm
£20, 16+
Desi Central
Fri 25 Sep / 7.30pm
£20, 16+
Rich Hall: Chin Music
Sat 26 Sep / 8pm
£18, 14+
Lucy Porter: Let Yourself Go!
Fri 2 Oct / 7.30pm
£23, 16+
Lucy Porter
Aaron Simmonds
Desi Central
Scott Bennett
Alfie Brown: The Entertainer
Sat 3 Oct / 8pm
£18, 16+
COBO Comedy Shutdown
Sat 10 Oct / 7.30pm
£22, 16+
Ian Stone Is Looking for the Wow
Thu 15 Oct / 7.30pm
£20/£17 Concession, 16+
Jeff Innocent: WIP
Wed 21 Oct / 8pm
£16, 16+
Phil Ellis: Bath Mat
Sat 24 Oct / 8pm
£17.50, 14+
Tez Ilyas: Tez Things I Hate About You
Sat 31 Oct / 8pm
£25, 18+
Mark Watson: Before it Overtakes Us
Thu 5 Nov / 8pm
£22.50, 14+
Phil Ellis
Alfie Brown
Tez Ilyas
Jeff Innocent
Mark Watson
Comedy at the Hat Factory
Jenny Talia: Without Adult Supervision
Fri 6 Nov / 7.30pm
£25, 16+
Michael Akidiri: Don't Call Me
Fri 6 Nov / 8pm
£17/£15 Concession, 16+
Fatiha El-Ghorri: Cockney Stacking Doll
Sat 14 Nov / 3pm (Clean Show)
7.30pm (Adult Show)
£23, 16+
Simon Evans: Staring At The Sun
Thu 26 Nov / 7.30pm
£20, 16+
Comedy Bar
Every 3rd Friday of the month / 7.30pm
£8, 16+
Uncle!
Michael Akidiri
Jenny Talia
Fatiha El-Ghorri
Simon Evans
Music at the Hat Factory
Our two music spaces offer a great opportunity to get up close to bands across a wide range of genres. This season we feature music from the ‘70s, 80’s and 90s, with tribute bands Nirvanah, Wrong Jovi and the actual Spear of Destiny band all appearing. A Night of Emo, Nu Metal and Pop Punk pulls from several genres!
Our regular programme of local DJs features Boutique Soul and Basement Live and, for singers from Luton and beyond, why not try out Open Mic nights?
Making their debut in Luton The Father Teds represent the Irish music scene and, from Bollywood we have Bollywood Time Machine 2.0 and Lata & Asha.
Nirvanah & L.A. Foo Fighters
Left: Wrong Jovi
Music at the Hat Factory
Remembering Rafi
A Night of Emo, Nu Metal and Pop Punk
Fri 26 Jun / 7pm
£12, 16+
Remembering Rafi: Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya
Sat 27 Jun / 7.30pm
£25, 14+
Boutique Soul
Fri 29 May / Fri 17 Jul / Fri 18 Sep
Fri 20 Nov / 8pm - 1am Free, 16+
Say Shava Shava:
A 25 Year Musical Celebration of Family, Legacy & Bollywood Magic
Sat 11 Jul / 7.30pm
£25, 16+
Open Mic Night
Thu 23 Jul / Thu 29 Oct / 8pm
£8, 16+
Spear of Destiny
Thu 27 Aug / 7pm
£25 advance / £30 on the door, 18+
Lata & Asha: Purane Gaane... Side A / Side B
Sat 5 Sep / 7.30pm
£25, 16+
The 2pm Club Daytime Disco
Sat 19 Sep / Sat 12 Dec / 2pm - 6pm
£12 / £42 for group of 4, 25+
Solace
Sat 26 Sep / 6pm - 2am
£20, 18+
Inspiration
Sat 3 Oct / Sat 5 Dec / 9pm - 3am
£15, 18+
Basement Live/s
Sat 10 Oct / 7.45pm
£5, 16+
Bollywood Time Machine 2.0
Sat 7 Nov / 7.30pm
£25, 16+
UK Subs
Fri 13 Nov / 7.30pm
£25 advance / £30 on the door, 18+
Wrong Jovi
Fri 27 Nov / 8pm
£15, 14+
Nirvanah & L.A. Foo Fighters
Fri 4 Dec / 8pm
£15, 14+
The Father Teds
Sat 21 Nov / 7.30pm
£15, 14+
UK Subs
Wrong
Jovi
Spoken Word, Poetry & Creative Events
We’re always looking for ways to support local creative talent alongside nationally recognised artists to inspire the next generation.
This Autumn, why not join a local creative night or get involved in a workshop? Or perhaps you’d rather lose yourself at a film night or experience the delights of Kathak, followed by a discussion in the bar.
Creative Expression and its power is never clearer than in the spoken word; an artform merging poetry, performance, and storytelling to deliver impact, emotion and provoke thought. This Autumn we shine a light on this artform.
This includes Open Mic Night, hosted by Lutonian and BGT semi-finalist, Yvonne Michelle, offering local talent a platform to speak their truth. And Lee Nelson, renowned local poet and spoken word artist, hosts our regular event Utter! Lutonia for the local scene, also welcoming Henry Normal and Kat Joyce to Luton.
Made You Look
Thu 8 Oct / 7.30pm (Performance)
£12 adult / £10 Concession, 14+
Made You Look is a a visceral and explosive one-man poetry show interrogating masculinity and what it means to be an immigrant in Britain. Trainee Artistic Director for England’s leading performance poetry organisation Apples & Snakes, Ty’rone Haughton delivers a fiercely honest piece that fuses poetry, physical theatre, visual art and sound to create a deeply emotional, at times unbearable, but profoundly necessary experience.
Thu 8 Oct / 4.30pm (Workshop)
£10, £17.50 when purchased with a ticket for the show, 16+
'Personal is Universal' is an intimate workshop with T’yrone inspired by the show for grassroots writers, poets and theatre makers in understanding their individual voice translating this onto the stage.
Events at the Hat Factory
Utter! Lutonia
Thu 4 Jun & Thu 3 Sep / 8pm
£6 / £4 concession, 16+
An eclectic and ever-changing line-up of Spoken Word.
Luton Life Drawing
First Sat of the month / 2pm
£15, 18+
A drawing class inspired by the living naked human form.
Sip & Paint with Nadia Hussain
Tue 23 Jun / 6.30pm & Sun 19 Jul / 2pm
£8.50, 16+
Back by popular demand! A creative painting social facilitated by local creative Nadia Hussain.
Bi-monthly screenings, celebrating the glow and wonder of Black Cinema.
Kadam Dance: Echoes
Sat 18 Jul / 6.30pm
£14 / £12 concession, All ages
An evening to savour the nuances of Odissi dance.
Have a Go! Wood Block Printing Workshop
Sat 18 Jul / 11am & 1pm
£6, 7+
A fun and hands on workshop in traditional South Asian woodblock printing.
NGYT Double Bill Showcase
Fri 24 & Sat 25 Jul / 7.30pm
£12 Adult / £10 Concession, 14+
Utter! Lutonia presents Henry Normal / Kat Joyce
Thu 17 Sep (Henry) / Thu 3 Dec (Kat), 8pm
£10 / £8 concession, 16+
An evening with some of the UKs most enthralling poets.
fees
Museums & Exhibitions
This season you can dip into a wide programme of exhibitions at both our museum venues. At Wardown House, Museum and Gallery, we celebrate 50 years of Luton Carnival. We also have a new family museum adventure The Wonder Houses. Bring the family and explore!
At Stockwood Discovery Centre, you can delve into Luton’s Vauxhall History until the end of June, immerse yourself in Luton Creates artwork designed by the local community and view some of nature’s most incredible moments at the British Wildlife Photography Awards Exhibition.
Both Stockwood and Wardown are open seven days a week in the summer holidays. We have a packed programme of crafts and don’t forget to visit our popular cafés.
Left: UKCCA 50th
Carnival Headwear
Permanent Exhibition Feature
Luton Made: Vauxhall
Luton Made: Vauxhall Exhibition
Sat 2 May - Sun 28 Jun / 11am - 5pm
Free
Stockwood Discovery Centre, All Ages
UKCCA 50th Anniversary Exhibition
Luton Carnival Headwear
Sun 24 May - Sun 28 Jun
Free
Wardown House, Museum & Gallery
Music in the Museum
Sinfonia Verdi
Sun 12 Jun / 2pm
£15, All Ages
Wardown House, Museum & Gallery
Curate a Space by Klaudia Kulakie
Sun 13 Sep - Sun 9 Jan 2027
Free, All Ages
Wardown House, Museum & Gallery
British Wildlife Photography
Awards Exhibition
Fri 18 Sep - Sun 1 Nov / 11am - 5pm
Free, Ticket required, All Ages
Stockwood Discovery Centre
Long Gallery Exhibitions
Showing art and photography by Luton creatives
Throughout the season
Free, All Ages
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Life, Loved & Lived: Stories of Recovery and RenewalAn Interactive Sensory Exhibition
Tue 22 - Thu 24 Sep / 9.30am - 4.30pm
(closes at 9pm on Thu 24 Sept)
Free, All Ages
Hat Factory Arts Centre
British Wildlife Photography
Luton Made
UKCCA 50th Anniversary Exhibition
Family Events
After Party Storytelling
EARLY YEARS
The Culture Trust and Osagyefo present Storytelling for Early Years
Tue 9 Jun / Tue 14 Jul / 10am
Free, 0 - 5 years
Wardown House, Museum & Gallery
A Tale of Us A Class of Your Own
EARLY YEARS
After
Party
Thu 18 Jun / 10am & 1pm
£15 adult and baby / £7 extra adult, 0 - 2 years
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Immersive music and storytelling built for the first wild chapter of life. Raw tender and chaotic, inspired by the curiosity of the of the very young. A new and exciting musical world.
A Class Of Your Own
Sat 10 Oct / 11.30am & 2pm
£9, 8 - 12 years
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Everyone has things bubbling inside them. Do we let them burst out or keep them in?
Explore what sticks as you grow, what you shake off and what happens when we shine a light inside.
EARLY YEARS
A Tale of Us
Thu 12 Nov / 10.30am & 1.30pm
£15 adult and baby / £7 extra adult, 0 - 18 months
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Join Ivy and her little one on a funny, frank and magical journey through their first year of life together. A blend of drama and multi-sensory playtime. Plus a “Stay and Play” session after each performance.
SUMMER
EVENTS
Stockwood Garden Party
Tue 28 - Thu 30 Jul / 11am - 3pm
Free, All Ages
Stockwood Discovery Centre
Wardown House, Museum and Gallery Summer Fun Day
Wed 29 Jul / 11am - 4pm
Free, 3+ years
Wardown House, Museum & Gallery
Wardown Summer Series
Mon 10 & Mon 24 Aug / 11.30am - 3pm
Free, 3+ years
Wardown House, Museum & Gallery
Colourscape
Fri 7 - Sun 9 Aug / 10.30am - 3.30pm
£9, All Ages
Stockwood Discovery Centre
Music on Sunday Ukie Toones
Sun 16 Aug / 2pm & 3.30pm
Free, All Ages
Wardown House, Museum & Gallery
Stockwood Living History Festival
Sat 5 - Sun 6 Sep / 11am - 5pm
£8 each or £30 for a family of 4, All Ages
Stockwood Discovery Centre
Creative Make and Take
Tue & Thu – Stockwood Discovery Centre
Colourscape
Wed & Fri - Wardown House, Museum & Gallery
11.30am - 12.30pm, 1.30pm - 2.30pm, 3pm - 4pm
£4.50 per child, 3+ (free colouring activities for under 3s)
Stockwood and Wardown are open 7 days a week in the summer holidays.
Oct Half-Term
Dance in the Dark
Olaf Falafel's Stupidest, Super Stupid Show
Sun 25 Oct / 11.30am & 2pm
£9, 3 - 13 years
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Red Robin’s Winter Song
Mon 26 Oct / 11.30am & 2pm
£9, 3+
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Rockin’ Robin Workshop
Mon 26 Oct / 10.15am & 12.45pm
£4 per child, 3 - 6 years
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Lugus Ceramics: Clay Creatures
Mon 26 & Wed 28 Oct / 11.30am & 2pm
£8.50, 4 - 11 years
Stockwood Discovery Centre
Dance in the Dark
Tue 27 Oct / 11.30am & 2pm
£9, 3+
Hat Factory Arts Centre
WIFI Wars: Halloween Special
Wed 28 Oct / 2pm
£14 / £12 Concession, 6+
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Flotsam
Thu 29 Oct / 11am, 1pm & 3pm
£9, 2 - 5 years
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Flotsam
Clay Creatures
Creatures from the Collections
Please see website for dates and times
Free, drop in Wardown House, Museum & Gallery
Big Draw
Sat 24 Oct – Sun 1 Nov / 11am - 5pm
Free, All Ages
Activities across all 3 sites daily (Mon - Fri)
Make your mark at Stockwood and Wardown with different materials, inspired by creatures on display around the museums, share your artwork or take it home.
Halloween Crafts
Tue 27, Thu 29, Fri 30 Oct / See website for times
£4.50 per child, 3+
(free colouring activities for under 3s)
Bookmarks and web-tastic decorations to take home
Tue – Stockwood Discovery Centre
Thu – Wardown House, Museum and Gallery
Fri – The Hat Factory
Family Film Club: Monster
Fri 30 Oct / 10.30am
£4 or 4 for £12, rated PG
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Quantum
Thrilling and Beautiful Magic
Sun 1 Nov / 2pm
£15 / £12 Concession, 8+
Hat Factory Arts Centre
Box Office 01582 878 100 www.culturetrust.com
Booking fees apply
Monster Family
BIG Draw
Kevin Quantum
Halloween
Crafts
SANTA AT STOCKWOOD SANTA AT STOCKWOOD
Fri 11 Dec - Thu 24 Dec
9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.15pm & 2.15pm
From £25, All Ages (recommended under 10s) Stockwood Discovery Centre
• Exclusive Santa Slots
• Create Your Own Keepsake
• Reindeer Food Machine
illuminated STOCKWOOD illuminated STOCKWOOD
Fri 11 Dec - Thu 31 Dec
4.30pm - 8pm
£12 Adult, £9 Child & Concession, All Ages
Stockwood Discovery Centre
Creative Industry Network
Affordable Creative Spaces
Hat Works offers flexible and affordable workspace right in the heart of Luton’s Hat District. Access to the multimedia hub, wet-working, band rehearsal and office space starting at £5/hr.
Networking Events
Connect with other creatives, gain insights from guest speakers and share your practice in a relaxed, supportive setting. Free with booking.
Showcase Your Work
Are you looking to promote your work, find collaborators or crowdsource a solution to your creative problem? Present at one of our events!
Drop-ins and Advice
Thursdays at Hat Works are all about learning and advice: it is a chance to talk through your ideas, get expert advice, signposting and troubleshooting. Check the site for complete listings. www.culturetrust.com
Creative Directory
An online service dedicated to promoting local creativity – whether you are looking for talent for a new project or if you are ready to promote your creative business –this is for you: artists, designers, producers, theatre-makers, photographers. It’s free with Hat Works membership. hatdistrict.co.uk/directory
Long Gallery – Luton’s only visual arts space
Located at the Hat Factory Arts Centre, the gallery displays work of local artists with exhibitions changing every month. Check the website for current listings and get in touch if you have art to show!
Culture is the heartbeat of a thriving community – it inspires, connects, and lifts us all. That’s why Luton Rising is proud to champion Culture Trust Luton.
When creativity flourishes, so do new ideas, friendships, and opportunities for everyone.
Culture that belongs to everyone.
Together, we’re building a healthier, stronger Luton where art and culture spark potential and unite us all.
Discover more about our community impact at lutonrising.org.uk
STOCKWOOD’S LIVING HISTORY
SAT 5 SEP - SUN 6 SEP 2026
11AM - 5PM
Stockwood Discovery Centre £9 or £34 for a family of 4 (inc. booking fee), All ages
Journey through history as Stockwood travels back in time.
Featuring different living history encampments that recreate a glimpse of daily life from years gone by.
From medieval knights to heritage craft demos, you can interact with history, try out bygone skills and listen to the musical sounds of our past.
