How festival success sets the stage for more Stockwood Park events in Luton
Luton council is hoping to build on the town’s success with large-scale music events after nearly 10,000 attend Party in the Park and Proms in the Park.
The two ticketed events at Stockwood Park formed part of Luton’s 150th anniversary celebrations on September 12 and 13.
Saturday’s Party in the Park was headlined by Kaiser Chiefs and also featured The Feeling, The Hoosiers, JW Paris, Olivia Lynn, Panjabi MC, Rickie & Melvin and Jess Iszatt.
Cllr Amjid Ali, leader of Luton Council, said: “Party in the Park and Proms in the Park were brilliant celebrations of Luton, bringing communities together in their thousands for a weekend packed with music, entertainment, community spirit and pride in our town.
"The feedback from audiences, performers and partners has been fantastic.”
He added: “The atmosphere, organisation and quality of the programme were widely praised, and the events demonstrated what can be achieved when the town comes together to celebrate its identity, culture and communities”.
The council has now secured a licence allowing it to hold a large entertainment event at Stockwood Park once a year for up to 14,999 people, with live and recorded music, dance performances, films and alcohol sales.
A council spokesperson said: “Our airport company Luton Rising served as the headline sponsor for the event, supported by a number of smaller sponsors. The remainder of the income was generated through food and drink vendors and ticket sales.
“An independent evaluation of the events is now under way, with findings due to be published next month.”
They added: “This will give us a detailed picture of the weekend, capture feedback from audiences and partners, and help inform discussions about future opportunities.”
Radio 1’s Big Weekend in 2024 attracted more than 100,000 people to Luton and generated around £7 million, according to an independent economic impact assessment cited by Luton Council.
The council’s Town Centre Delivery Plan says it demonstrated how large-scale events can bring opportunities for residents and businesses.
The push for more music events comes as Luton is trying to grow its evening and night-time economy, with the council’s Economic Growth Strategy for 2025 to 2032 identifying a “vibrant visitor and night-time economy” as one of its action areas.
It says Luton wants more people to live, work, study and spend leisure time in the town centre, supported by new cultural and leisure facilities.
The Town Centre Delivery Plan says an enhanced night-time economy should develop with “something for everyone”, alongside new entertainment spaces including The Stage and Power Court.
A council review of the town’s night-time economy found 43.9 per cent of 1,004 consultation respondents rated the town’s entertainment offer as “very poor”, while another 37 per cent rated it “poor”.
It also found businesses wanted to be involved in bringing live music, markets and pop-up bars into the town centre, although licensing restrictions were identified as a barrier.
The council’s final recommendations included improving the marketing of Luton’s night-time offer to embrace its diverse communities and different age groups.
This year’s Party in the Park line-up did include Panjabi MC, alongside hometown acts JW Paris and Olivia Lynn.