Welcome! The 2025 Lord Mayor's Show will be on Saturday 8 November. Preparations start now, so if you think your organisation would like to take part, please use our expression of interest form and we will be in touch soon.

History

The Lord Mayor's Show is the oldest, longest, best loved and least-rehearsed civic procession in the world. It dates back to the early 13th century when King John, desperate for support, granted that the City of London could appoint its own Mayor. He required that each newly-elected Mayor should come upriver to distant Westminster and swear loyalty to the Crown, and the Mayors have been making that journey for over 800 years. Around them grew up a noisy, colourful, joyous procession that over the centuries became known as the Lord Mayor's Show.

The Lord Mayor

The 696th Lord Mayor of London is Alderman Alastair King of the Queenhithe Ward. The Lord Mayor takes office in the Silent Ceremony, on the day before the Lord Mayor's Show conveys him or her to Westminster to swear loyalty to the crown.

Procession

The 2024 running order is still available and on Show day you could see the progress of the procession in our live and frequently accurate 3D map of the route.

Poster

The 2024 poster and programme featured an original work by Adam Dant, which is available as a limited edition art print from CCA Galleries.

Programme

The Lord Mayor's Show programme is available on Show day from our Scout and Guide volunteers. Don't forget to bring your £5.

Social Media

Our social media feeds are quiet but sometimes useful. You can find the links and also a live feed on our social media page.

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

Sorry: 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. Access passes for 2024 are available: please apply here.

Safety and Security

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