Street Parties

150 years of Luton Borough Street parties are celebrations that mark the incredible milestone as we celebrate 150 years of Luton Borough. Since gaining borough status in 1876, Luton has been shaped by its diverse communities, bold innovation, and rich cultural heritage.  

You can host a street party on the below dates:  

• Saturday 2nd May
• Sunday 3rd May
• Monday 4th May  

Sign up to host your own Street Party!

 Street parties – 150 years of Luton Borough – Fill in form

Hosting A Street Party

When organising a street party, consideration needs to be given to the formal road closure process, and as such residents need to complete and follow the process below in the form link.  

More information can be sourced here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/your-guide-to-organising-a-street-party/your-guide-to-organising-a-street-party 

Funding

Street parties don’t need to cost any money and could be as simple as neighbours producing a different dish to share.   

Funding is available of up to £20,000 for events and activities through The National Lottery Community Fund Awards for All programme and you can encourage community groups to apply.  

The National Community Fund Lottery Awards for All does not have a deadline, but it can take up to 12 weeks from the point of application submission to receiving funding, which means applications for the street parties should be made ASAP. All funding criteria and terms and conditions are here.  

What is the Difference between a Street Party and a Larger Event?

Street Parties in 2025

Things to consider

Road closures  

• Do you need to close a road?
• Is it a main through route for emergency vehicles?
• Is it a bus route?
• What access will be provided for carers etc who may need to get in? 

Access to toilet facilities  

• Can people use their own homes? 

First aid cover 

• If the event is small, one street (for example) is there someone with first aid experience? 

Food being shared 

• If people are bringing their own for their household to eat this isn’t an issue.
• If people are sharing food, signs need to be up to warn no liability will be taken, and encourage people to bring things that aren’t potentially dangerous (leave shellfish etc at home)
• Make sure food is labelled – Vegetarian, Contains Gluten etc.
• Hot food shouldn’t be out for considerable amounts of time. Cold Foods should be kept chilled as possible.  

Public Liability  

• For events led by a community organisation or faith organisation they will need to have public liability in place.  

FAQs

Do I need a license to use amplified music?  

The Licensing Act 2003 does not require a music licence at a street party unless amplified music is one of the main purposes of the event. 

Do People providing food need a food license? 

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has confirmed that one-off events such as street parties aren't usually considered food businesses, so there are no forms to fill in. However, you must ensure that any food provided is safe to eat. 

The FSA provides more advice about providing safe food at street parties and other community events on its website at: 

http://www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/food-hygiene/charity-community-groups  

The NHS Choices website has practical tips on how to prepare and cook food safely at http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/homehygiene/Pages/Foodhygiene.aspx 

Do I need a license to run a raffle at my event? 

You do not have to register a lottery (which includes raffles, sweepstakes and tombolas) if you are running an “incidental non-commercial lottery”, for which tickets must be sold and the winners announced at the event. Anyone at the event (including children) can take part in this sort of lottery. The expenses that can be deducted from the proceeds must not be more than £100, and no more than £500 can spent on prizes (not including donated prizes).  More information is available from the Gambling Commission’s website at http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/Gambling-sectors/Lotteries/About-the-lottery-industry/About-lotteries-raffles/Incidental-non-commercial-lotteries.aspx 

Do I need public liability insurance or a risk assessment for a small street party? 

There is no requirement from central government to have public liability insurance. You should not need a risk assessment – as long as consideration is given to the needs of all those attending, common sense precautions should be enough.  

The below application form should be complete by those wishing to hold a street party and then submitted to Luton Council for agreement: communtyevents@luton.gov.uk  

The deadline for receiving submissions is 5pm on Friday 17th April 2026.