In 1213 a grateful King John awarded the City of London the right to choose its own Mayor, but he had a condition: every year, when a new Mayor took office, he had to make his way upriver to Westminster and pledge loyalty to the Crown. The Lord Mayor of London is one of the world?s oldest elected officials, and the Lord Mayor?s Show is the public festival that has grown up around his journey.

The Show is always on the second Saturday in November, which is often but not necessarily the day before Armistice Day. It starts at 11am, give or take a couple of minutes depending on the timing of the RAF flypast. The processional route

goes from Mansion House via Bank, St Pauls and Fleet Street to Aldwych, and the tail of the procession will get to the Royal Courts at about 12.15. There is a short break during the ceremony, then the whole procession sets off again at 1pm to take the new Lord Mayor back to Mansion House. The procession finally ends at about 2.30 when the last floats reach the city.

At 3pm you are invited to take a guided walk, sample some of the other activities available in the city or just have a cup of tea, and then at 5pm the new Lord Mayor starts a magnificent firework display over the Thames. The fireworks are launched between Blackfriars and Waterloo bridges and for the best view you?ll want to get down to the riverside, but you can see them from all over London.

On the day of the Show the roads are closed in most of the City. If you live or work in the area, please see our pages for residents to find out how your day will be affected. The Show organisers do everything possible to minimise disruption and we are ready to answer your questions as the day approaches.