The fourth annual Pride in Luton event was launched last night with a vigil including a powerful speech that reflected on the cost of living authentically as LGBTQI+ in a world that so often resists it — demonstrating why the one-day festival is as much a protest as it is a celebration.
Rooted in a mission to support queer Lutonians and build inclusive spaces, tomorrow’s event — in the Hat District (1-8pm) — is for all Lutonians and combines celebration with activism and education, honouring local history and fighting for intersectional equality.
Notably, this year’s festival has taken a principled stance by banning political parties from speaking officially on stage, citing clearer community feedback and recent legal tensions over trans rights, saying political platforms would only be welcomed if parties show “genuine commitment to trans rights”.
And at the launch of Pride in Luton at The Hat Factory Arts Centre last night, co‑chair Karol Augustyn delivered a searing address, later writing on Instagram that the vigil was “an honour and a heartbreak” and a promise to remember lives lost and stand “united in grief, love and resistance”.
The speech, which you can watch below, was a powerful reminder that every voice in attendance is part of something bigger: a community refuses to vanish.
Channelling both grief and resolve, he said in his speech: “Every day we fight against the wind. The wind of hate, the wind of arrogance and the wind of fear. And every time we get knocked down, we rise again, but it costs us and it leaves scars.
“We grow wings not because we are special, but because we have to. We need wings to rise up out of all the stares on the street, above the muttered slurs,above the jokes and above the silence. We need wings to carry the weight of losing family, losing friends, jobs, homes and safety, just for being who we are.
“We need wings to survive in a world that still tells us in a thousand little ways that you are too much, too different, and too wrong.
“Pride is not a party. Pride is not a trend. And Pride is definitely not a phase. Pride is our refusal to disappear.”
Those words were echoed by Luton South MP Rachel Hopkins, who attended the evening, and wrote on Instagram: “Very moved by all the personal stories that were shared tonight, which showed that Pride is still a protest as much as a celebration.”
Pride in Luton trustee Scott Griffwood wrote on Instagram : “@prideinluton decided from day 1 to start with a vigil. Many prides do it at the end of their weekend, but we deliberately chose to lead off with it, after all Pride is a protest. I hope to see many folks over the weekend for the festival, everyone is welcome.”
What’s in store on the day
Pride in Luton Festival returns on Saturday 14 June in the Hat District, running from 1 pm to 8 pm. The free, all‑ages event offers:
- Main stage (1–8 pm): live performances, local acts, drag, speeches and music.
- Family zone (2–5 pm): family‑friendly crafts, face‑painting and community stalls.
- Teenage rave (2–3 pm & 4–5 pm): inclusive dance sessions for teens.
- Food & drink trucks and stalls, alongside a craft market.
- New sensory space at Hat Factory for those who need a calm area.
- BSL interpretation, movable seating, wheelchair areas and gender‑neutral toilets ensure accessibility.
- After‑party (8 pm–late) at Hat Factory Arts Centre (ticketed).
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