Turkey trot

What a trot is

A turkey trot is a road race, and most are long ones. Runners sign up for a certified course of between 5 km and a half marathon, or for a looser fun run of roughly one mile to 5 km. The 5 km distance appears more than any other: more than nine in ten races offer it. Certified courses are measured to USA Track & Field road race standards. Fun runs are informal by design rather than timed competitions, and they are the part of the day that anyone can join.

Origins and history

The oldest turkey trot for which there is a record began in Buffalo, New York, in 1896, and it still takes place every year. Long-distance races on the holiday were once common. The Atlanta Marathon was run on Thanksgiving from 1981 until 2009, which made it the final 26.2-mile marathon to be staged on the holiday. From 2010 the Atlanta Track Club stopped offering the marathon distance and kept a half marathon instead. Two other well-known races, one in Yonkers and one in Detroit, also began on Thanksgiving and were later shifted to other dates.

Costumes and charity

Many turkey trots are staged to raise money for good causes, and most of the money collected is passed on rather than kept. Runners often turn up in fancy dress, with the turkey as the favourite costume. In 2021 Molly Seidel took part in the Berbee Derby in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, dressed that way, and her time there stands as the quickest recorded by anyone in a turkey outfit. The costumes and the fundraising are what give these races their character as a neighbourhood event rather than a serious athletic contest.

How many take part

Participation has grown steadily. Fewer than 700,000 people ran a turkey trot in 2011. By 2024 there were 936 races and an estimated 1,100,000 runners, spread across all 50 states. Florida held more of them than any other state, with 56. The races are also getting larger: 322 of the 2024 events had fields of more than 1,000 runners, against 249 in 2023 and about 80 in 2017. In 2024 the trots brought in over $3,600,000, most of which went to charity.

Christmas in Britain

The turkey trot is not only an American event. In the United Kingdom a small number of races during the Christmas season carry the same name. There the reason is the Christmas table rather than the Thanksgiving one, since turkey is the bird traditionally served at that meal. These British races share the name and the midwinter timing of their American counterparts, but they are far fewer in number. In both countries the name comes from the bird that sits at the centre of the winter feast.

How Turkey trot is kept

Runners enter in advance and choose a distance, most often 5 km and sometimes as far as a half marathon. On Thanksgiving Day they line up at the start and set off, many of them in costume and some dressed specifically as turkeys. The shorter fun runs stay informal. Whatever money is raised goes to charitable causes, which is the purpose of many of the races.

When and where

The American races fall on Thanksgiving Day, near the end of November. A handful of British races belong to the Christmas period instead. The date therefore shifts each year with the holiday rather than falling on a fixed calendar day.

Turkey trots are an American custom, with races in every state and the largest concentration in Florida. The oldest is in Buffalo, New York. Long-distance holiday races have also been run in Atlanta, Yonkers and Detroit. A small number of British races use the name at Christmas.

What Turkey trot means

The trot opens a family holiday with exercise shared among neighbours. Running under the name of the bird that will later sit on the table is a joke people make together, and the costumes show that nobody is meant to take it too seriously. Because so many races raise money, taking part is also a way of giving something back on a day given to thanks and company.

Days Turkey trot is marked

Questions people ask about Turkey trot

See also

ChristmasA festival of Jesus's birth, kept on 25 December with gifts, lights and shared mealsHalloweenAn annual observance on 31 October marking the eve of All Saints' Day, rooted in Christian tradition and Celtic heritageValentine's DayA Christian feast day and cultural celebration of love kept on February 14 in many countries.Labour DayA day honouring workers, kept on 1 May in most countries and on other dates elsewhere

Good reading and sources

• Turkey trot on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-11.