The City of London, being very ancient, has many traditions and ceremonies, and as many of us still like dressing up in livery finery, many of them still happen today.
Many of the ceremonies take place in private and aren’t open to the public, but as they involve processions from Halls to Churches, that part can be observed.
So it’s no surprise to be wandering around the City sometimes and run into a group of people wearing furs and lace, carrying something special to a ceremony.
| Event | Venue | Usual Date | Confirmed Date |
| Trial of the Pyx | Mansion House | 2nd Thursday in February | 10th Feb 2026 |
| Cakes and ale ceremony | Stationers’ Hall | Shrove Tuesday | 17th Feb 2026 |
| Inter Livery Pancake Races | Guildhall | Shrove Tuesday | 17th Feb 2026 |
| Spital sermon | St Lawrence Jewry | In March or April | tbc |
| Bridewell service | St Bride Fleet Street | 2nd Tuesday in March | tbc |
| Presentation of boars head to Lady Mayor by Butchers | Mansion House | Varies | 18th March 2026 |
| United Guilds’ service | St Paul’s Cathedral | March | 20th March 2026 |
| Druids service | Tower Hill | Spring Equinox | 20th March 2026 (tba) |
| Butterworth charity | St Bartholomew the Great | Good Friday | 3rd April 2026 |
| Stow commemoration service | St Andrew Undershaft | On or near 5th April every 3rd year | Not until 2027 |
| Festival of the Sons of the Clergy | St Paul’s Cathedral | May | 12th May 2026 |
| View day by the Lady Mayor | St Barts Hospital | 2nd Wednesday in May | tbc |
| Pepys commemorative service | St Olave Hart Street | On or near 26th May | tbc |
| Beating the bounds | Various churches | Ascension Day, May | 14th May 2026 |
| Challenge at the Tower of London | All Hallows Church | Ascension Day, every 3rd year | Not until 2028 |
| Bubble Sermon | St Bride Fleet Street | 1st Tuesday in June | 2nd June 2026 |
| Trinitytide procession and service | Trinity House to St Olave Hart Street | Week after Whitsun | tbc |
| Fishmongers procession | Fishmongers Hall to St Magnus the Martyr | Usually in June | tbc |
| Skinners procession | Skinners Hall to St James Garlickhythe | Corpus Christi Day, June | 4th June 2026 |
| Knollys Rose ceremony | Seething Lane to Mansion House | On or near 22nd June | tbc |
| Admiral of the Port’s Challenge | River Thames | June | 11th June 2026 |
| Election of Sheriffs | Guildhall | Midsummer’s Day, June | 24th June 2026 |
| Vintners’ procession | Vintners Hall to St James Garlickhythe | Usually 2nd Wed in June | 9th June 2026 |
| Swan Upping | River Thames | 3rd week in July | Starts on 14th July 2026 |
| Cart marking ceremony | Guildhall Yard | On or near 19th July | 18th July 2026 |
| Doggett’s coat and badge race | River Thames | In July or August | tbc |
| Christ’s Hospital School procession | City church to Guildhall | Around St Matthew’s Day, September | tbc |
| Admission of Sheriffs | Guildhall | Last week in September | 28th Sept 2026 |
| Costermonger’s Harvest Festival | Guildhall to St Mary le Bow | Sunday in September | tbc |
| Sheep Drive across London Bridge | London Bridge | Late September | 27th Sept 2026 |
| Harvest of the Sea Service | St Mary at Hill | Second Sunday in October | 11th Oct 2026 |
| Quit Rents ceremony | Royal Courts of Justice | Usually a Wednesday in October | tba |
| Election of the Lord Mayor | Guildhall | On or as close to 29th September | 29th Sept 2026 |
| Lion sermon | St Katharine Cree | 16th October | 16th Oct 2026 |
| Painters-Stainers procession | Painters Hall to St James Garlickhythe | St Luke’s Day, October | tba (unlikely to be 18th Oct) |
| Presentation of fruit to Lady Mayor by the Fruiterers | Mansion House | October | 14th Oct 2026 |
| Submariners parade and service | Submariners Memorial, Embankment | Sunday before Remembrance Sunday | 1st Nov 2026 |
| The planting of the crosses | St Paul’s Cathedral | Usually first Mon in November preceding Remembrance Sunday | tbc |
| Admission of the Lord Mayor (Silent Ceremony) | Guildhall | Friday before the 2nd Sat in November | 13th Nov 2026 |
| Lord Mayor’s Show | Mansion House to the Law Courts | Second Sat in November | 14th Nov 2026 |
| Service/Wreath laying/HAC march past | St Paul’s Cathedral/Royal Exchange | Usually Remembrance Sunday | tbc |
| Presentation of hat to Lord Mayor by Feltmakers | Mansion House | November | tbc |
If you have some more dates to add or fill in gaps, let me know below.