Thanksgiving Races, Fun Runs and Turkey Trots

Turkey Trot Races In and Around Boston

What better way to kick of your Thanksgiving celebrations than by running a Boston area Turkey Trot!? Turkey Trots have a long, rich history and they have become almost as much of a Thanksgiving tradition as the turkey itself! Now that the cooler weather is here, the holidays are just around the corner which correlates to family time and great comfort food.  

Enjoy a run or walk first thing on Thanksgiving morning or in the days prior, before indulging on all the wonderful foods served for Thanksgiving dinner.

Join thousands of other walkers and runners in Boston communities in this time-honored, family friendly Thanksgiving  tradition and kick off the holiday season in a healthy way. We've rounded up a list of races that offer a sense of community, exercise, and lots of fun, so that the whole family can earn that extra slice of pie.

Take in the scenery, the breeze, stunning autumn foliage and scenic river views as you get your fitness on for a great cause!  Show your gratitude and sense of community and benevolence by participating generously in the canned food drive which helps those less fortunate have plenty of food this Thanksgiving and beyond.

Convenience reigns supreme at the Gobble Till You Wobble 5K and 10K turkey trot .  It's a  virtual race, so you can start your run wherever and whenever you want throughout the  month of November.

Register for the race send in your finishing times  for an opportunity to win some awards along with a medal and a ribbon. As an added bonus, 15 percent of each registration will be donated to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization.

Newton Turkey Trot 

The 5K Newton Turkey Trot run is a beautiful out and back course that leads you through Newton neighborhoods, onto the Commonwealth Avenue carriage lane to Newton City Hall and loops back to end at Zervas Elementary School.  

Register early and be one the the lucky first 500  runners to receivea  free shirt!  All runners who finish will truly earn their pie by receiving a free pie to add some sweetness to their holiday meal!

Wellesley Turkey Trot

Before lifting that fork or taking that post turkey snooze, take a quick dash at the Wellesley Turkey Trot. Those runners with the best times can earn a wide array of awards, with medals being doled out to the top three overall male and female runners as well as the top three runners in each age bracket.  Make it a family event by having the kids under 10 in the family participate in the Kids Fun Run!  

For a trotting tradition with as much time honored tradition as the turkey on your table, run the Annual Dreamcatcher Classic in Weymouth!  Choose between a two-mile race and a five-mile race, and support  Weymouth Public Schools’ athletic programs and a scholarship program for Weymouth High School graduates in the process.

Hingham Turkey Trot

Join the Hingham Turkey Trot - the biggest Thanksgiving Day race on the South Shore. The 2026 race includes a 5K, an under-18 5K and a virtual 5K. The race starts at 7:30am at Hingham High School, 17 Union Street, and proceeds go to the Hingham High School cross country and track boosters. The course winds through Wompatuck State Park.

Franklin Park Turkey Trot

Bring the whole family, strollers and all and work up your Thanksgiving Day appetite at the Franklin Park Turkey Trot, Dorchester!   Join more than a thousand other runners in what has become the largest Thanksgiving Day race in Boston.  All proceeds from the race go to the Franklin Park Coalition, which is responsible for restoring and maintaining the park year-round. 

Get your metabolism in order with the Feaster Five Thanksgiving Day Road Race, Andover! Join over 10,000 runners in one of the biggest turkey trot races in the Boston area,   Enjoy a pre-race expo with local vendors, and be one of the first 9,000 registrants and receive a free shirt! Feast your eyes on the fresh apple pie that awaits you at  the finish line.

Somerville Turkey Trot

Warm up your appetite at the Gobble Gobble Gobble  Turkey Trot in Somerville.  A sense of community unite with your calorie extravaganza at this 4 mile race put on by the Somerville Road Runners. All proceeds from the race benefit Project Soup and the Somerville Track PAC.

Work up wild appetite for turkey while getting your fitness on at the largest turkey trot race on the North Shore, Wild Turkey 5-Mile, Salem.  Be one of the first 1,700 participants registered get a Brooks tech long-sleeve shirt to commemorate your accomplishment!

Earn your pie at the Boston Volvo Thanksgiving Day 5k  in Allston.  Run for a great cause this Turkey Day and raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society each year!  Suit up in your free t-shirts distributed to the first 700 registrants and relish in the prizes are awarded to the top run finishes and fundraisers.  

Spending your Thanksgiving holiday down on the Cape?  Check out the annual Chatham Turkey Trot.  This is a 5k (3.1 mile) fun run / walk in Chatham, Massachusetts.
Strollers are welcome at this family friendly event.

Norwood Turkey Trot

This is a great option for families who want to keep Thanksgiving morning free. The race is scheduled for Sunday, November 22, 2026 at 11:00am, on a fast and challenging 4-mile course. The course is a loop that starts and ends at Norwood High School, 245 Nichols Street. 

More Ideas for Family Fun!

'Tis the season to be festive, so be sure to visit our helpful overviews on Boston's November events and December events; as well as our seasonal guides to Holiday Markets, as well as Holiday Events & Shows, and Christmas Tree Lightings in the Greater Boston area. Then, get ready to start the New Year right at First Night Boston!

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Stacey Sao has been the Managing Director of the family-friendly events
and activities website, BostonCentral for over 25 years.  She continues to enjoy discovering and exploring new places in the Greater Boston area.