Lord Mayor’s Show 2019

A staple part of London’s history for the past 800 years, the Lord Mayor’s Show continues to be a popular event in the City’s calendar.

The Lord Mayor’s Show 2019 will take place on Saturday 9th November, and the three-mile-long procession will follow a route through the streets of the City. Beginning at 11 am, it will start at Mansion House / Bank and go to St Paul’s, Ludgate Hill and along Fleet Street. The morning’s procession is expected to attract a lot of people, but the afternoon’s journey back to Mansion House will be quieter. The route will go past Temple and Blackfriars on the Embankment, so it may even be possible to see some of it from a river cruise – best times will be around 1.15-2.30.

All the roads will be closed in The City to accommodate the day’s activities, so walking, cycling and public transport will be the only ways to get around between Aldwych and Liverpool Street Station. The exact route is yet to be announced, but it will begin at Mansion House and will pass St Paul’s Cathedral and the Royal Courts of Justice.

The event is free of charge, but if standing on the side of the street to watch the procession doesn’t sound very appealing, you can buy Grandstand seats which will be located by St Paul’s Cathedral.

What you’ll see

Led by the two giants who are said to be the guardians of the City, Gog and Magog (albeit made of wicker), the three-mile-long procession will include military bands, horses, floats, music, dancing, fancy dress and, of course, the new Lord Mayor, who will be riding in the beautiful, gilded State Coach which has been used by London’s Lord Mayors for nearly 300 years. The procession will take around an hour and a quarter to pass any given point, so make sure you find a spot with a good view and you’ll get to see everything!

The route and timetable of the procession have yet to be published, but in 2018, it began at Mansion House at 11 am. Once the new Lord Mayor has been announced at the beginning of October, details of this year’s procession will be released, so keep checking the website.

Festival zones

Last year, the Show introduced a new concept of Festival Zones which worked so well they’re bringing them back this year! There will be two Zones where there will be funfair rides, street food, drinks, music, theatre and art. One zone will be in Paternoster Square by St Paul’s Cathedral and the other will be undercover (just in case!) at the Bloomberg Arcade near Bank tube station.

And if you’re tired from all that activity, pop over the Millennium Bridge to Bankside Pier and pick up a Thames River Sightseeing boat, so you can put your feet up for a while as you enjoy a nice relaxing cruise!