Black History Month events taking place in Luton this October - from culture market to theatre and music

Luton is ready to celebrate Black History Month – with a host of events for you to enjoy.

Black History Month runs every October in the UK and is an annual recognition of achievements and contributions made by the Black community.

Luton will be hosting events to commemorate the month – from a celebration of Black-owned business to the chance to music and theatre.

Here are just some of the events coming up for you to enjoy.

The Black Culture Market tomorrow (October 8) is set to be an inspiring showcase of carefully curated black businesses.

The market is an opportunity to support and celebrate vendors of African and Caribbean descent, with a variety of products and culinary delights to purchase.

The event is running from 10.30am – 3.30pm and is free to attend at the Hat Factory.

Formy Books is celebrating the publication of its most recent picture book release at Let’s Skate! Book Launch on Saturday (October 8).

The free event requires no booking, and books, activities, and goody bags will be available for children. All ages are welcome, and there will also be a book reading with the author and a facepainter.

The launch is expected to run from 11am-3pm.

I Wish My Brother George Was Here is a verbatim theatre performance based on the testimonies of Black men and women sharing their thoughts surrounding the death of George Floyd and feelings in terms of their own racialised experiences.

The performance starts at 6.30pm on Saturday (October 8), and tickets are £5.

On Sunday (October 9), the Hat Factory is hosting a “humorous and heartfelt inter-generational adventure” called Grandad Anasi. This uplifting tale runs from 11.30am and 2pm, and the age guidance is listed at four to nine years.

Tickets to watch Grandad Anasi are £9.

The Hat Factory also hopes to drive open and meaningful conversations relevant to the Black community in Luton, and what it means to be Black. Being Black in Luton, which is on Thursday (October 13), at 7.30pm, is free, but booking is required.

Nigerian-British musician Dele Sosimi is bringing his Afrobeat Quartet to the Hat Factory on Friday (October 21), at 7.30pm. The performance is suitable for all ages, and you can expect to hear a blend of complex, danceable funk grooves.

The tickets for Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Quartet are £15 in advance, and £17.50 on the day.

Every month, The Hat Factory showcases and celebrates a fresh selection of cinema classics. On Wednesday (October 26), PG film ‘Hidden Figures’ follows three women as they rise the ranks of NASA. Tickets cost £8, and the film begins at 7:30pm.

Nationally recognised poet and songwriter Miss Jacqui was originally planned to run two events for The Hat Factory to celebrate Black History Month, however they have both been postponed until a later date in 2023. All tickets purchased for the evening performance will remain valid for the new date.

You can find out more about what’s going on in Luton for Black History Month on the Culture Trust website.