Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26. The Tallahassee Turkey Trot starts at 8 a.m. on Esplanade Way; city offices close Nov. 26-27 and pickup slides a day.
Last checked 2026-10-10. This page is updated each year. The 2026 city and county closure notices are not out yet; where a line below comes from the 2025 notice, it says so.
Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. The day starts for thousands of people at the Tallahassee Turkey Trot in Southwood, first gun 8 a.m. The City of Tallahassee observes both Thanksgiving and the day after as holidays, so city offices close Nov. 26-27 and some trash pickup moves a day later.
Who to call
- City trash and recycling: 850-891-4968
- StarMetro: 850-891-5200
- Leon County Solid Waste Management Division: 850-606-1800
- Animal emergencies when offices are closed: Consolidated Dispatch Agency, 850-606-5800
- Help with a holiday meal: call 211 (211 Big Bend, now Lifeline Connection)
Tallahassee Turkey Trot
The Gulf Winds Track Club’s Turkey Trot has run since 1976 and is the club’s largest race, with more than 6,000 finishers in its biggest year. The race page lists four distances on Thursday, Nov. 26:
| Race | Start | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey Gobbler 1 Mile | 8 a.m. | A flat rectangle; starts near the flagpole on Esplanade Way |
| 5K | 8:30 a.m. | Mostly a loop on Grove Park Drive around Central Park Lake, with one hill |
| 10K | 8:30 a.m. | Shares the first two miles with the 15K |
| 15K | 8:30 a.m. | Runners must be able to finish by 10:30 a.m. |
All four races finish on Esplanade Way near Merchants Row Boulevard; the race address is 4055 Esplanade Way. Registration prices rise after Nov. 15, the race page says. Proceeds have long supported the Boys and Girls Clubs, The Shelter and Refuge House, according to the club. Parking and course maps are on the race page.
City of Tallahassee closures
The 2026 notice usually comes out the week before Thanksgiving in the city newsroom. Here is what the city did last year, from its 2025 Thanksgiving notice:
- City offices: closed Thursday and Friday.
- Community centers (Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs): closed Thursday, Friday and Saturday, reopening Monday.
- StarMetro: no fixed-route or Dial-A-Ride service on Thanksgiving Day. The day after, fixed routes ran a Sunday schedule with no night service and Dial-A-Ride ran 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Animal Service Center: closed Thursday and Friday, open again Saturday from 10 a.m. Animal Control handles emergencies only on the holiday through Consolidated Dispatch, 850-606-5800.
Trash pickup changes
City customers. In 2025, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday pickup did not change; Thursday customers were picked up Friday, and Friday customers Saturday. That covered garbage, recycling, bulky items and yard waste. The city’s customer guide says pickup slides forward one day in any holiday week, Monday through Saturday, and the city’s calendar marks the week of Nov. 22 as a holiday week. Look up your own day at Talgov.com/YOU or on our trash and recycling guide.
Unincorporated Leon County. In 2025 the county’s Thanksgiving notice said routes that fall on the holiday run one day late, on Waste Pro’s holiday schedule. The Solid Waste Management Facility and the Rural Waste Centers closed on Thanksgiving Day only and reopened Friday.
Leon County closures
From the same 2025 county notice:
- County offices and community centers: closed Thursday and Friday.
- Libraries: all LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library branches closed at 6 p.m. Wednesday, stayed closed Thursday and Friday, and reopened at 10 a.m. Saturday.
- County parks, greenways, campgrounds and boat landings: stayed open.
- Animal Control: closed Thursday and Friday; emergencies through Consolidated Dispatch.
Community dinners and meal help
Churches, the Salvation Army and civic groups usually announce free Thanksgiving meals in mid-November. We add each one here, with its time and address, once the organizer publishes it. Until then, call 211 for food help; 211 Big Bend, now Lifeline Connection, answers around the clock at 211 or 850-617-6333.
Organizing a free community Thanksgiving meal in Tallahassee? Send the details through our contact page.
The weekend after
Black Friday store hours, Small Business Saturday and holiday markets are on their own page: Black Friday and holiday shopping in Tallahassee. The holiday lights at Dorothy B. Oven Park open Thanksgiving evening; see holiday lights and Christmas events.
What this means for you
- Running the Turkey Trot? Arrive early; the 5K, 10K and 15K all start at 8:30 a.m.
- Thursday or Friday city pickup: expect it a day later.
- No buses on Thanksgiving Day; plan rides ahead.
Related: Halloween events, things to do this month and Christmas parade and tree lighting.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Tallahassee Turkey Trot in 2026?
Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, Nov. 26. The 1-mile Turkey Gobbler starts at 8 a.m. and the 5K, 10K and 15K start together at 8:30 a.m. on Esplanade Way in Southwood.
Is trash picked up on Thanksgiving in Tallahassee?
Not on the holiday itself. In 2025 the city moved Thursday customers to Friday and Friday customers to Saturday, with no change Monday to Wednesday. The 2026 notice usually comes out the week before; check Talgov.com/YOU or call 850-891-4968.
Are Tallahassee city offices open the day after Thanksgiving?
No. The City of Tallahassee observes both Thanksgiving Day and the day after as holidays, so administrative offices close Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26-27.
Do StarMetro buses run on Thanksgiving?
In 2025 StarMetro ran no fixed routes or Dial-A-Ride on Thanksgiving Day and a Sunday schedule with no night service the day after. Check Talgov.com/StarMetro or call 850-891-5200 for 2026.
Are Leon County libraries open on Thanksgiving?
In 2025 all LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library branches closed at 6 p.m. the Wednesday before, stayed closed Thursday and Friday and reopened at 10 a.m. Saturday. The county posts the 2026 schedule in November.
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