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Turkey Trots 2026: Thanksgiving Day Races by State

Written by the USA Fest Bot team with AI help. · Published · Updated

Runners and walkers in race shirts near a finish arch at a turkey trot, one man wearing a turkey hat
Runners near the finish of a Thanksgiving turkey trot in Fountain Hills, Arizona (not one of the races below). Photo: BowenLarsen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped.

A turkey trot is a road race or fun run on Thanksgiving morning, usually a 5K with a shorter walk or kids’ run, and many raise money for food banks and local charities. This guide lists 60 turkey trots and Thanksgiving races in 34 states for 2026, grouped by region, with links to each listing and the race’s own website. All but one are on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26. For parades and other holiday events, see our Thanksgiving events hub.

USA Fest Bot doesn’t sell tickets or race entries.

Dates can change, so check the event’s website before you go.

Northeast: 10 races

Several Northeast races here have run for decades. The Newport County YMCA Pie Run in Middletown, Rhode Island, was founded in 1985 and typically draws over 2,000 walkers and runners, and the Seacoast Rotary Turkey Trot in Portsmouth says it is the largest in New Hampshire, with more than 3,000 runners. In Vermont, the Norwich Turkey Trot has no fee or registration and gathers at the gazebo on the Norwich Green.

Adults and children setting off on a fall turkey trot fun run under a yellow inflatable arch
Families start a turkey trot fun run on a fall morning (not a race in this guide). Photo: Laura Kreider, U.S. Army, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain, cropped.

South: 20 races

Some of the oldest and biggest races on our list are in the South. The NOAC Turkey Day Race in New Orleans was founded in 1907 and is billed as the 5th oldest continuous race in the country. The Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot began in 1967 at White Rock Lake, and Charlotte’s race at SouthPark Mall reports a record 12,223 participants last year. MUST Ministries’ Gobble Jog brings more than 10,000 runners to the Marietta Square, and in San Antonio every Food Bank Turkey Trot registration provides a turkey for a family facing hunger.

Midwest: 13 races

Cincinnati’s Thanksgiving Day Race is one of the longest continuously held road races in the United States, and its 10K crosses the river into Kentucky. Detroit’s S3 Turkey Trot runs ahead of America’s Thanksgiving Parade and is often called “The Parade before The Parade.” Omaha’s Feast & Feathers is a trail run at Lake Cunningham with a half marathon. One race here is not on Thanksgiving: the Fort Wayne Running Club Turkey Trot is Saturday, November 21.

A slice of pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream on a white plate
A slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Photo: Kimberly Vardeman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped.

West: 17 races

Utah’s Runtastic THANKFUL at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi bills itself as the state’s largest turkey trot and serves pumpkin pie in the finish corral. The YMCA Turkey Trot in Colorado Springs regularly draws over 4,000 runners and walkers, and leashed dogs can run with a registered human. In Honolulu, the Turkey Trot starts at the Honolulu Marathon finish line, and the field is limited to 2,000.

How to choose a turkey trot

Start with the distance. Nearly every race here has a 5K, and many add a 1-mile walk or a kids’ run, such as the Plymouth Rock Ramble for ages 2 to 12 in Chicago or the Diaper Dash for crawling babies in Dallas. If you want something longer, Feast & Feathers and Runtastic THANKFUL both have half marathons, and Tallahassee offers a 15K.

Next, check the rules for strollers and dogs, since they vary a lot. Marietta’s Gobble Jog welcomes strollers and leashed dogs, and so does the Newport County Pie Run. Chicago, Lincoln and Fort Wayne don’t allow dogs on the course, and Fort Wayne doesn’t allow strollers either.

Costumes are part of the fun at many races. Phoenix gives awards for the best dressed turkey, family and team, and Orlando’s Seniors First race has a best turkey call contest. Many trots also collect food: bring canned goods to the races in Lincoln, Cleveland, Boise and Richmond, among others.

Pairing a race with a parade

In a few cities you can run in the morning and still catch a big parade. Detroit’s S3 Turkey Trot kicks off America's Thanksgiving Parade. Chicago has both the Life Time Turkey Trot and the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade on Thanksgiving Day, and New York has the Queens Turkey Trot along with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (100th). In Charlotte, the Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade is the night before the turkey trot. See all parades or our charity events for more.

Before you go

Register online ahead of time. Several races, including Honolulu, Charleston and Fort Wayne, take no registrations on race day, and Fargo’s Burn the Bird closes online entry the Tuesday before at 5 p.m.

Plan for an early start. On our listings, most races start between 7:30 and 10:30 a.m. Dress for the weather, too: the Lincoln races go on in rain, snow or cold, and the Queens Turkey Trot runs rain or shine.

To find more events near you, open Thanksgiving events and filter by state or ZIP, or browse all states. Missing a race? Submit a listing.

Quick answers

When is Thanksgiving 2026?

Thursday, November 26, 2026. All but one race in this guide are that morning. Dates can change, so check the event’s website before you go.

USA Fest Bot is not affiliated with any event in this guide and does not sell tickets. Found a date that has changed? Send a correction.