Thanksgiving is Nov. 26: the Grateful Gobbler and Turkey Trot, the free Gratefull meal Nov. 19, CARTA and school closings and the Saturday trash make-up.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Race details come from each race’s own page, the meal from Gratefull, trash dates from the City of Chattanooga and school dates from the Hamilton County Schools calendar.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. Chattanooga’s morning starts with the Grateful Gobbler 5K at Coolidge Park and the Fitness Central Turkey Trot on Lee Highway, both at 8 a.m. Garbage is not collected on the holiday; Thursday routes are picked up Saturday, Nov. 28. The week before, Gratefull sets one long free table on M.L. King Boulevard on Nov. 19. City services: Chattanooga 311, 423-643-6311.

What this means for you

  • Run or walk: Grateful Gobbler (8 a.m., Coolidge Park), Turkey Trot (8 a.m., Fitness Central) or the Stuffing Strut (8:30 a.m., Chester Frost Park, Hixson).
  • Roads: Market Street and the North Shore close for the Gobbler on race morning.
  • Trash: no pickup Thursday; Thursday garbage goes Saturday, Nov. 28.
  • School: Hamilton County Schools closed Nov. 25-27.
  • Buses: no Downtown Shuttle on Thanksgiving. CARTA, 423-629-1473.

Turkey trots

Race Start Where
27th Annual Grateful Gobbler 5K 8 a.m. Coolidge Park, 150 River St.
Fitness Central Turkey Trot Kiddie-K 8 a.m.; 3-mile walk 8:15 a.m.; 4-mile race 8:30 a.m. Fitness Central, 6170 Lee Highway
14th Annual Stuffing Strut 8:30 a.m. Chester Frost Park Pavilion, 7872 Causeway Road, Hixson

Grateful Gobbler. The 27th walk and run gathers at Coolidge Park on the North Shore before the 8 a.m. start. Every dollar of registration, sponsorship and donations goes to families experiencing homelessness at the Maclellan Shelter for Families, which is moving to a new home, Provident Place, on Old Lee Highway. Packet pickup is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at Fellowship at the Loop, 1724 Chickamauga Ave.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, at the Coolidge Park Pavilion; and 6:30 to 8 a.m. on race morning at the pavilion. Organizers say shirts ordered after Nov. 19 will not arrive by Thanksgiving.

Fitness Central Turkey Trot. Chattanooga’s longest-running Thanksgiving road race, in its 36th year, hosted by the Chattanooga Track Club and Fitness Central. The 4-mile race is USATF certified; the 3-mile family walk and jog runs down Brainerd Road to Jubilee Drive and back and welcomes dogs on leashes and strollers. The Kiddie-K is for ages 12 and under, with medals for every child. Packet pickup and late registration are Wednesday, Nov. 25, at Fitness Central, and from 7 a.m. on race morning.

Stuffing Strut. A 5K through Chester Frost Park in Hixson, for ages 5 and up, with registration from 7:30 a.m. Proceeds go to Northside Neighborhood House, the Soddy Daisy Food Bank, the Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department and the Soddy Daisy Middle School Jim Wilson Fund.

Saturday, Nov. 28: the Chattanooga Hungry Turkey half marathon, 10K and 5K start and finish in Coolidge Park, 400 River St. Race listing.

Road closures on race morning

The city posts the closures each year in its special event road closure releases. For the 2025 races, the city closed:

  • Grateful Gobbler, 6 to 11 a.m.: Market Street between Frazier Avenue and M.L. King Boulevard, with limited or no crossing at Aquarium Way and Third through Eighth streets; River Street between Tremont Street and Manufacturers Road; and Tremont Street between Frazier Avenue and River Street. Detours: Broad Street or Georgia Avenue south of the river, Barton Avenue or U.S. 27 north of it.
  • Turkey Trot, 7 to 10:30 a.m.: the eastbound right lane of Lee Highway between Honest Street and Vance Road, plus Van Ness Road and Vance Road.

Community meals

  • Gratefull, Thursday, Nov. 19, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Bessie Smith Cultural Center. A free city-wide Thanksgiving meal at one long table in the middle of M.L. King Boulevard, with “no fee, no expectations, and no agenda.” Causeway started it in 2014 as One Table. Volunteers sign up on gratefullcha.org.
  • Union Gospel Mission. Last year the mission served a free traditional Thanksgiving dinner to the community on the day before Thanksgiving, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. M.L. King Blvd. The 2026 date is not out yet; check the mission’s website.

Shop for the table

The Chattanooga Market’s Thanksgiving Market is Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 22, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at First Horizon Pavilion, 1801 Reggie White Blvd., with seasonal vegetables, breads, pies, flowers and greenery. Ice on the Landing joins the market that weekend. Thanksgiving Market.

What is open and closed

  • Garbage: not collected on Thanksgiving Day. Thursday garbage is collected Saturday, Nov. 28. The city’s drop-off sites are closed on Thanksgiving and the day after. Details on our trash and recycling guide.
  • CARTA: the free Downtown Shuttle does not run on Thanksgiving Day, and the CARTA Garage route is out of service. CARTA, 423-629-1473.
  • Hamilton County Schools: closed Wednesday, Nov. 25, through Friday, Nov. 27. District calendar.
  • Stores: holiday hours for the malls and shopping centers are on our Black Friday and holiday shopping page as each one publishes them.

The next day: Reindeer on the Riverfront

The holiday season starts on Friday, Nov. 27, with Reindeer on the Riverfront and the Lighted Boat Parade, at Coolidge Park this year. Details are on our Christmas parade and tree lighting page.

Related: holiday lights and Christmas events, things to do this month and getting around Chattanooga.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a turkey trot in Chattanooga on Thanksgiving 2026?

Yes. The Grateful Gobbler 5K starts at 8 a.m. at Coolidge Park, the Fitness Central Turkey Trot starts at 8 a.m. on Lee Highway, and the Stuffing Strut 5K starts at 8:30 a.m. at Chester Frost Park in Hixson.

Is garbage picked up on Thanksgiving in Chattanooga?

No. Thanksgiving is one of two days the city does not collect garbage. Thursday garbage is picked up Saturday, Nov. 28, instead.

Is CARTA running on Thanksgiving?

The free Downtown Shuttle does not run on Thanksgiving Day, and the CARTA Garage route is out of service too. Call CARTA at 423-629-1473 for other routes.

When is Thanksgiving break for Hamilton County Schools?

Schools are closed Wednesday, Nov. 25, through Friday, Nov. 27, on the district’s 2026-27 calendar.

Is there a free Thanksgiving meal in Chattanooga?

Yes. Gratefull serves a free community Thanksgiving meal at one long table on M.L. King Boulevard outside the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19. Everyone is welcome.