Luton BID are proud sponsors of the town’s St Patrick’s Day Parade
1st March 2022
A colourful procession, diverse community groups, marching bands, local acts and Irish performers are set to wow crowds at Luton’s St Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday 13th March.
Back for the first time in two years, the popular event is part of Luton Irish Forum’s week-long St Patrick’s Festival and is being sponsored by Luton Business Improvement District (BID) and other partners.
Irish music, dance, drama and family-friendly entertainment will be brought to streets and venues through a variety of free events from 12th – 17th March, all aimed at making Irish heritage more accessible.
Julia Horsman, Luton BID project manager, said: “Luton’s St Patrick’s Day Parade has always been a highlight of the town’s cultural calendar and the wider St Patrick’s Festival, but has been sadly missed over the last two years due to the pandemic.
“This is the first time Luton BID has sponsored the event, and we are thrilled to be able to support Luton Irish Forum to put on a spectacular experience.”
“The St Patrick’s Day Parade promises more fun, excitement and smiles for all ages and communities than ever before, and we cannot wait to welcome thousands of visitors and families into the town to enjoy the dazzling line up, especially after the recent and ongoing global challenges.”
Noelette Hanley, Chief Executive Officer, Luton Irish Forum added: “We are delighted to have the BID’s sponsorship.
The Parade attracted thousands of spectators before Covid, and we want to make 2022 just as great, showcasing the very best Irish music, song and dance, with national and international artists and groups from both sides of the Irish Sea. It’s about making Irish heritage accessible to everyone.”
The St Patrick’s Day Parade will begin at Luton Irish Forum at 12pm. It will then travel along Hitchin Road, turning right onto Station Road, along Station Road to Mill Street, then turn left onto Guildford Street and right onto Bridge Street.
At the end of Bridge Street, the parade will turn left onto New Bedford Road, continue onto Manchester Street, into Upper George Street (where the floats will stop) and finish on Market Hill in the town centre at 12:45am.
St Patrick’s Children’s Craft Sessions, school workshops, community events, live music, choir and singing performances, Gaelic football, a traditional Celtic, Folk and Punk-Rock after party are also part of the Luton St Patrick’s Festival programme.
To see the full programme, line-up and to keep up to date with all the latest on St Patrick’s Festival, visit Luton Irish Forum website https://lutonirishforum.org/St-Patricks
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Luton Business Improvement District (BID)
Luton BID was officially launched in 2014 following a vote by local businesses to make Luton town centre a designated Business Improvement District. After a successful ballet in 2019, Luton BID’s second term runs from 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2024.
A BID is a defined area where the rate-paying businesses decide on improvements to their area, they then vote on the plans and agree to invest in the delivery of activities which directly impact upon their business turnover and profit. This money is then ring-fenced to provide the improvements agreed through the BID plan and can be used to generate other revenue to boost the pot of money available to deliver the plan.
Business representatives in Luton have developed a five-year action plan around the key objectives of promoting the area. These objectives are to ensure the town centre is accessible and appealing, to provide a safe and attractive environment for businesses and visitors, to support and promote business growth and to develop and invest in a sense of community.
Luton BID is project managed by Partnerships for Better Business Ltd (pfbb uk). pfbb UK is a specialist BID Project Management company which develops and manages a wide range of Business Improvement Districts across the UK including town centres and industrial estates.
Luton Irish Forum
We are a charity formed to promote Irish identity, culture and heritage and to improve the quality of life of the Irish community and others in Luton.
Luton Irish Forum is a registered company limited by guarantee with a fully accessible community centre where our welfare, cultural, social and volunteering services are coordinated and take place.