The Lord Mayor's Show Guide for City Hospitality Venues
Show day brings a crowd to your door. This guide gives City businesses and venues everything they need to make the most of it.
How to use this guide
Jump straight to the section you need:
- Why get involved - the Show explained, and what's new for 2026
- When to expect customers - the three waves of trade on Show day
- Ten ideas for venues - simple ways to turn crowds into customers
- Spread the word - sample posts, images, tags and hashtags
- Operational/ before the day - deliveries, travel, staffing and licences
- Contacts - who to talk to
Note: we add details as they are confirmed. Bookmark this page and check back before Show day.
Why get involved
- Show day puts welcome customers on your doorstep in the quieter period between Halloween and Christmas, and it is getting bigger every year.
- People quickly establish ‘their venue’ and return each year, creating return customers.
- Last year, footfall in the City hit a four-year high of nearly a quarter of a million.
- Transactions reached almost 172,000, rising every year since 2022. With new highlights in 2026, this year's Show is likely to be busier still.
The Show at a glance
- Date: Saturday 14 November 2026
- Time: 11am to about 2:30pm
- Route: from Mansion House, by Bank station, along Cheapside, past St Paul's Cathedral and down Fleet Street to the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand. The procession returns along the Victoria Embankment and Queen Victoria Street. See the route map.
- Procession: nearly 7,000 participants, 70 floats and 20 military and civilian bands
- Cost: free to watch
- On TV: live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 10:45am
New for 2026
- Arrival by river: the Lord Mayor arrives by barge on the Gloriana
- Mansion House: music from The Lion King
- Grandstands: seating for spectators has sold out
- BBC centenary: 100 years of the BBC broadcasting the Show on radio
When to expect customers
Trade comes in three waves. Daytime is the busiest part of Show day, and it is growing fastest.
- Morning, from 7am: participants arrive to get ready and line up, with the area buzzing by 9am; spectators follow from 10am. Offer breakfast, hot drinks to go and group orders.
- Midday, from about 12pm: once the procession has passed, outbound spectators look for lunch and something to do next.
- Afternoon, from 2:30pm: return-route spectators move on as the Lord Mayor arrives back at Mansion House. Offer late lunch, afternoon tea, family deals and a reason to stay into the evening.
The procession leaves Mansion House at 11am and sets off on its return at 1:10pm. Full times are in the official Lord Mayor's Show timetable.
Ten ideas for venues
- Open early and serve the kerb: breakfast, hot drinks and takeaway for participants, spectators and grandstand crowds.
- Dress your venue in gold and red, with bunting and window displays.
- Catch the lunchtime wave with a quick set lunch as the outbound procession passes.
- Create a Show special: a dish, cake or cocktail inspired by the State Coach, Gog and Magog or the barge.
- Welcome everyone: kids' menus, buggy space and clearly signed step-free access.
- Screen the BBC coverage so visitors can watch in the warm.
- Give people a reason to stay with an after-Show offer from 2:30pm into the evening.
- Team up with neighbours on a trail or joint offer that keeps visitors exploring beyond the route.
- Create a photo moment visitors will want to share.
- Book December now with a voucher or QR code for Christmas bookings and return visits.
Spread the word
Copy these posts, swap in your details where shown in [brackets] and pair each one with a photo or video. They are written for Instagram and Facebook, and are a starting point, so adapt them to sound like you. Post from mid-October through to a thank-you the day after.
Before Show day
We're open
Heads up - we'll be open and ready on Show Day. 🐴
Saturday 14 November. Hundreds of thousands of visitors. Spectacular parade. And we'll have our doors wide open.
Come in before, grab a seat for the spectacle, pop back after. Or just come to celebrate the #LordMayorsShow with the best of London.
📅 Saturday 14 November | 11am onwards
📍 City of London@lordmayorsshow #LordMayorsShow #SoulOfLondon
Your Show day offer
Come celebrate with a special Show Day offer. 🎉
The Lord Mayor's Show is Saturday 14 November - and we're marking the moment with [INSERT: a discount / a special menu / a limited-edition offering / extended hours / live music].
Come early, stay late, bring friends. Make it a full day out in the City.
📍 [Your location on the Show route]
📅 Saturday 14 November | [Your opening hours]@lordmayorsshow #LordMayorsShow #SoulOfLondon
On the day
Welcome (for Stories)
Welcome! 👋🐴
We're open, we're ready, we're excited. The #LordMayorsShow is happening right now on our doorstep. Pop in out of the crowd, grab a [drink/bite/moment], soak up the atmosphere.
We saved you a seat.
@lordmayorsshow #SoulOfLondon #LordMayorsShow
After the Show
Thank you
What a day. Thank you. 🐴✨
Hundreds of thousands of visitors. Countless conversations. Non-stop action. The #LordMayorsShow at our door was unforgettable.
Thank you to everyone who came in, celebrated with us, and made it special. See you next year.
@lordmayorsshow #LordMayorsShow #SoulOfLondon #CityOfLondon
See you next year
Same time next year? 🐴📅
If you haven't already, mark Saturday 13 November 2027 in your calendar. The #LordMayorsShow is coming back. And we can't wait to welcome you again.
In the meantime - thank you for being part of this year's magic.
@lordmayorsshow #LordMayorsShow #SoulOfLondon #CityOfLondon
Versions for X and LinkedIn, plus more posts, are in the Open on the day sample post pack (Word document). You can also see all the sample posts in the toolkit.
- Tag and hashtag: @lordmayorsshow and #LordMayorsShow on every post. All our channels and hashtags are in the toolkit.
- Directions: roads are closed, so share how to reach you on foot.
- Giveaways or filming: tell us first at socialmedia@cityoflondon.gov.uk.
Before the day
- Deliveries: book for Friday or before the roads close on Saturday.
- Travel: parking is suspended from Friday afternoon and buses are diverted on the day, so staff should plan for Tube, rail, river bus or walking.
- Staffing: rota for three busy waves, starting early.
- Licences: check you are covered for outside trading, extra seating or screening live TV.
- Safety: read the Show's safety and security advice with your team.
Contacts
The Show has been part of London life for over 800 years. Get involved this year, build on it every November, and make your venue part of your customers' Show day tradition.
- Licensing - https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/licensing
- Venue plans, social media and partner enquiries: socialmedia@cityoflondon.gov.uk
- Advertising and sponsorship: lms@cityoflondon.gov.uk
- Event information: lordmayorsshow.london