Lord Mayor's Show 2022: When And Where Is It, And What's Happening?
Lord Mayor's Show 2022: When And Where Is It, And What's Happening?

A former Lord Mayor leans out of the golden State Coach and waves at crowds, in front of St Paul's Cathedral

Image: City of London

What is the Lord Mayor’s Show?

It’s an annual event, taking place in the City of London to celebrate the new Lord Mayor taking on the role. This longstanding tradition is bursting with pomp and ceremony.

In 1215, King John was persuaded to let the City of London elect its own mayor, with one major condition; each year the new mayor must travel from the City to Westminster to swear loyalty to the crown. Those are the origins of the Lord Mayor’s Show which has run for more than 800 years, despite some incredible obstacles, not least 2020’s Covid-19 pandemic, which saw plans for the event cancelled entirely.

When is the Lord Mayor’s Show 2022?

The 2022 Lord Mayor’s Show takes place on Saturday 12 November 2022.

Who is the new Lord Mayor 2022?

The 694th Lord Mayor of London has been announced as Nicholas Lyons, who takes over from Vincent Keaveny.

Lord Mayor’s Show 2022 events: schedule of the day

A military band dressed in long black robes and beating yellow drums, marches through the streets during the Lord Mayor's Show

Image: City of London

This year’s Lord Mayor’s Show begins at 11am with the procession. This is an epic three-mile long procession, consisting of 133 floats and taking about an hour and a quarter to pass a single point. It winds its way through the City, beginning at Mansion House, via Cheapside and St Paul’s Cathedral, and arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice at 12.32pm.

At this point, the new Lord Mayor spends some time inside the Royal Courts to swear an oath of allegiance, before rejoining the procession at Temple Place (1.10pm) and heading back to Mansion House.  If you want a quieter or less crowded experience, head to the Embankment area between 1.15pm-2.30pm to watch the parade on its return journey.

Following the procession, free guided walks led by City of London guides are available from outside Bank, between 3pm-4pm.

Who’s in the Lord Mayor’s Parade 2022?

A woman dressed in a Carnival-style costume with a red headdress in the Lord Mayor's Show procession, with other performers in different costumes visible behind her

Image: City of London

It’s a three-mile long procession, so they pack a lot in. This year we’re promised 6,500 people, 250 horses, and 133 floats (50 of which are decorated) — you can see the full participant list on the Lord Mayor’s Show website, but it includes military bands, Taiko drummers, mounted knights, a 1955 Austin Champ, and a very large inflatable pig.

The absolute highlight, though, is the golden State Coach, which has been used in every Lord Mayor’s Show since 1757, and is the oldest ceremonial vehicle in regular use in the world. It’s previously been on show in the Museum of London, but it looks like it’s now in storage ahead of the museum’s move.

Where to watch the Lord Mayor’s Show 2022

It’s free to stand and watch the procession — the world’s oldest and longest civic procession —  pretty much anywhere along the route.

It can be seen between 11am-12pm in the area between Bank and St Paul’s, but lesser-known is the stretch between Temple and Blackfriars on the return journey, which tends to draw fewer crowds. Get to this area between 1.15pm-2.30pm for the best experience.

Remember, if you want to see the full length of the parade, it’s expected to take an hour and a quarter to pass you so… comfy shoes, and maybe a cagoule, this being London.

Here’s a look at the 2019 Lord Mayor’s Show, to give you an idea of what to expect:

Getting to the Lord Mayor’s Show

Be aware that there are road closures right along the route and the surrounding roads on the day of the Lord Mayor’s Parade, with many buses on diversion — meaning getting to the event by car, bus or bike isn’t an option. Instead, your best bet is to get to one of the nearest train or tube stations and walk to the route from there.

What’s the Lord Mayor’s ‘ghost parade’

Once a year, in the early hours of the morning, the City of London’s streets come alive with horses, carriages and police, for an event informally known as the ‘ghost parade’. It’s the rehearsal for the Lord Mayor’s Show, when the organisers take advantage of the 3.30am lack of traffic to check the parade’s timings, to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day. We went along in 2019 to find out what it was all about.

The Lord Mayor’s Show takes place on 12 November 2022 — keep an eye on the official website for the latest updates.