What is the Lord Mayor's Show?
The annual event takes place in the City of London, celebrating the new Lord Mayor (or Lady Mayor, as was the case in 2025) taking on the role. This longstanding tradition is bursting with pomp and ceremony — marching bands, bells pealing, a golden coach: the works.
In 1215, King John was persuaded to let the City of London elect its own mayor, with one major condition: each year the new mayor must travel from the City to Westminster to swear loyalty to the crown. Those are the origins of the Lord Mayor's Show which has run for more than 800 years, despite some major obstacles along the way.
When is the Lord Mayor's Show 2026?
The Lord Mayor's Show takes place on Saturday 14 November 2026, beginning at 11am.
Who is the new Lord Mayor for 2026?
The new Lord Mayor for 2026 is Bronek Masojada, who works in the insurance and financial sectors. He was elected Alderman for the Ward of Billingsgate in 2019 and served as Sheriff of the City of London in 2023/24. He is Chair of the East End Community Foundation.
He takes over from 697th Lord Mayor of London, Dame Susan Langley DBE. She was only the third woman to hold the post in over 800 years, and the first to be titled the 'Lady Mayor of London', making last year's event a special one, as it was officially known as the 'Lady Mayor's Show' for the first time ever.
Lord Mayor's Show and Parade 2026 events and route: schedule of the day
There's a change to the day's schedule this year, as the incoming Lord Mayor travels down the river on a flotilla before the main shindig begins. Bronek Masojada and his wife Jane join the Sheriffs of the City of London aboard the Royal Shallop Jubilant, part of a flotilla of Livery boats, disembarking at HMS President and joining the festivities in the Square Mile.
The river journey is an historic part of the Lord Mayor's Show, dating back to the days when the incoming Lord Mayor would travel to Westminster to swear loyalty to the crown. The flotilla last took place in 2017, and is being revived for 2026.
At 11am on the dot (there's no question the military is involved in this event), the parade begins to leave Mansion House, the Lord Mayor's official residence.
It's an epic three-mile long procession (the procession being longer than the actual route), taking about an hour and a quarter to pass a single point. It winds its way through the City, beginning at Mansion House, via Cheapside and St Paul's Cathedral (approx 11.13am), usually arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice around 11.30am.
At this point, the new Lord Mayor spends some time inside the Royal Courts to swear an oath of allegiance, before rejoining the procession at Temple Place (1.10pm) and heading back to Mansion House. If you want a quieter or less crowded experience, head to the Embankment area between 1.15pm-2.30pm to watch the parade on its return journey.
Following the procession, free walks led by City of London guides are available from outside Bank, between 3pm-4pm. You can also get free entry to the cathedral floor at St Paul's Cathedral until 4.30pm, or ascend to the Dome Galleries for just £13.50, though this too is likely to be very busy.
Are there fireworks at the Lord Mayor's Show?
Previously, a fireworks display was held in the evening of the Lord Mayor's Show, but it was cancelled in 2015 as a mark of respect for the terror attacks which had taken place in Paris the day before, and the fireworks haven't been reinstated, with no plans to do so in the future. London has plenty of other Bonfire Night firework displays in early November, as well as the famous New Year's Eve fireworks.
Who's in the Lord Mayor's Parade 2026?
They pack a lot in: 6,500 participants, 250 horses and more than 50 decorated floats are expected to take part this year. The full participant list will be available on the Lord Mayor's Show website closer to the time, but it usually includes military bands, Taiko drummers, mounted knights, and has on occasion featured a 1955 Austin Champ... and a large inflatable pig.
Representatives from charities, schools, community groups, musicians, performers, financial institutions, military bands and Livery companies will be involved, along with the Pearly Kings and Queens.
A special treat for 2026: As the event falls on the birthday of King Charles III (his 'real' birthday rather than his 'official' one), the Royal Navy will provide the Guard of Honour and parade the King's Colour during the procession.
The absolute highlight, though, is the golden State Coach, used in every Lord Mayor's Show since 1757, and the oldest ceremonial vehicle in regular use in the world. It's previously been on show in the London Museum, but it's now in storage ahead of the museum's move and imminent reopening.
Where to watch the Lord Mayor's Show and Parade 2026
It's free to stand and watch the procession — the world's oldest and longest civic procession — pretty much anywhere along the route, and around 350,000 are expected to turn up to do so this year.
The procession can usually be seen between 11am-12pm in the area between Bank and St Paul's, but lesser-known is the stretch between Temple and Blackfriars on the return journey, which draws smaller crowds. Get to this area between 1.15pm-2.30pm.
Remember, if you want to see the full length of the parade, it's expected to take an hour and a quarter to pass you so... comfy shoes, and maybe a cagoule, this being London.
Here's a look at the 2024 Lord Mayor's Show, to give you an idea of what to expect:
Is the Lord Mayor's Show 2026 shown on TV?
Yes. If you can't make it in person, there's live coverage on BBC One and online. This year marks 100 years since it was first broadcast live on BBC radio.
Getting to the Lord Mayor's Show 2026
Be aware that there are road closures right along the route and the surrounding roads on the day of the Lord Mayor's Parade, usually from around 7am, with many buses on diversion. Getting to the event by car, bus or bike is not an option. Your best bet is to get to one of the nearest train or Tube stations, and walk from there. We recommend Bank or St Paul's stations. Most roads reopen around 4pm.
What's the Lord Mayor's 'ghost parade'
Once a year, in the early hours of the morning (from 3.30am), the City of London's streets come alive with horses, carriages and police, for an event informally known as the 'ghost parade'. It's the rehearsal for the Lord Mayor's Show, when the organisers take advantage of the lack of traffic to check the parade's timings, to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day. We went along in 2019. It's kept under wraps, so the date of the rehearsal isn't made public, to avoid drawing crowds.
The Lord Mayor's Show takes place on Saturday 14 November 2026. Keep an eye on the official website for the latest updates.
