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Historic festival · London

Lord Mayor's Show

14 November 2026

2026

14 November 2026

2027

13 November 2027

Where

London

What it is

Lord Mayor's Show explained

A procession unbroken since 1215 that escorts the new Lord Mayor of the City of London to the Royal Courts of Justice, ending with fireworks on the Thames.

Dates can shift by a day or two when a local council moves the programme to a weekend, so confirm with the town hall before booking non-refundable travel. Accommodation in London tends to sell out weeks ahead of the festival and prices rise sharply on the main night.

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Asked by first-time visitors

Lord Mayor's Show: the questions travellers actually ask

The twenty questions people put to an AI assistant before a first visit, answered here in full — logistics, itinerary, food, etiquette and the details guidebooks skip.

Lord Mayor's Show, explained

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What is Lord Mayor's Show?

A procession unbroken since 1215 that escorts the new Lord Mayor of the City of London to the Royal Courts of Justice, ending with fireworks on the Thames. It's a historic event held in London.

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When is Lord Mayor's Show in 2026?

Lord Mayor's Show runs 14 November 2026 in London. Councils can move the exact days by a day or two to land on a weekend, so confirm with the town hall before booking non-refundable travel.

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When is Lord Mayor's Show in 2027?

The provisional 2027 dates are 13 November 2027, in London.

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Is Lord Mayor's Show free to attend?

Yes — like the great majority of Spanish town festivals, Lord Mayor's Show is free and open-air; you only pay for food, drink and any seating the town sells for a parade or firework display.

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Where should I stay for Lord Mayor's Show?

Book a room in London itself as early as you can: accommodation for this kind of festival sells out weeks ahead and prices climb sharply for the main night. A base in London also means you're not relying on late transport home once the celebrations run past midnight.

Prompt pack

Copy these into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini

Use them as they are, then bring the answers back to us — we correct what the machine gets wrong about Lord Mayor's Show with local eyes.

  • I'm visiting Lord Mayor's Show for the first time. List the 5 things I must see and 3 I can skip, and say why.
  • Build me a 3-day Lord Mayor's Show itinerary grouped by geography, with walking times between stops.
  • What in Lord Mayor's Show must be booked weeks ahead, and what can I buy on the day?
  • Where do locals eat near the main sights of Lord Mayor's Show? Avoid tourist-trap restaurants.
  • What are the common tourist scams in Lord Mayor's Show and how do I avoid each one?
  • Give me a mid-range daily budget for Lord Mayor's Show broken down by food, transport and attractions.
  • Act as a Lord Mayor's Show local: what's your favourite corner that isn't in the guidebooks?
  • I have half a day in Lord Mayor's Show. What is the most representative thing to do?

Human verification: every answer above has been checked against what is actually open, bookable and walkable in Lord Mayor's Show — not generated and left unread.

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Editorial notice

Editorial summary produced with AI support and reviewed by a human editor. Facts are as reported by the sources linked in the text. Verify anything important before you act on it. Spotted an error? Use the contact form and we will correct it.

Last reviewed · 30 July 2026

Prices & times

All prices and times on this page are estimates and change often. They are a starting point from an independent editor, never official or guaranteed figures. Always check the final price and the opening hours with the official venue or operator before you book or travel.

Checked · 30 July 2026