The Lord Mayor's Show

Welcome! The Lord Mayor's Show is the oldest, longest, best loved and least-rehearsed civic procession in the world. The 2026 Show will set off from Mansion House and fill most of the City of London on Saturday 14 November at 11am.

The Lady Mayor

The 697th Lord Mayor of London is Dame Susan Langley DBE, of the Aldgate ward. She is only the third woman to hold the post in over 800 years, and the first ever to be titled the 'Lady Mayor of London'.

The Lady Mayor took office in the Silent Ceremony on November 7th, then on the next day the Lady Mayor's Procession will conveyed her to Westminster to swear loyalty to the crown.

Procession

The 2025 Show had over 7000 participants from all over the world in a procession more than three miles long. Details of the 2026 Show will be published around the beginning of October, when the next Lord Mayor is elected.

History

The Lord Mayor's Show dates back to the early 13th century when King John granted that the City of London could appoint its own Mayor, but required that each newly-elected Mayor should travel upriver to distant Westminster and pledge his loyalty to the King.

The Mayors have made that journey for over 800 years and around them has grown a noisy, colourful, joyous procession that over the centuries became known as the Lord Mayor's Show.

Poster

The 2025 poster and programme feature an original work by David Downton, which is also available as a signed, limited edition art print from CCA Galleries.

Programme

The Lady Mayor's Show programme is available on Show day from our Scout and Guide volunteers for £5, in cash only, of which £1 goes to the sellers.

Roads closed

Details vary slightly from year to year but essentially the whole City area is closed for most of the day of the Show, admitting no traffic at all. Buses are diverted while the Show is on and parking spaces suspended from the Friday afternoon. Roads will reopen as early as possible; usually before 4pm.

Getting here

Cars and buses are not allowed into the City on Show day. Tubes, boats and bicycles are much better, the Elizabeth Line station at Farringdon is well placed and there are many nice ways to walk into the City when it is free of traffic.

Where to go

Here are some suggestions for different ways to watch the Show depending on how much you like to be in a crowd, and what you might go on to do afterwards.

Access

Please click through for advice and suggestions that we hope will be helpful to disabled visitors to the Show.

Safety and Security

We work closely with the City Police and emergency services to keep everyone at the Show safe.