Chatham Turkey Trot 2026: Date, Route, Registration and Tips
The Chatham Turkey Trot is a family-friendly 5K run and walk held on Thanksgiving morning in Chatham, Massachusetts. Runners, walkers and stroller pushers share one loop, and the money raised goes to a local charity that feeds neighbors in need.
This guide covers the 2026 date, the course, registration, packet pickup and what to expect on race morning. It also flags what the organizers have not published yet, so you know where to double-check. If you searched for a Cape Cod turkey trot, this is the one on the elbow of the Cape.
Chatham Turkey Trot 2026 at a Glance
The 22nd Chatham Turkey Trot takes place on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2026. The official RunSignup registration page lists it as the "Chatham, MA Turkey Trot 2026 Run/Walk." Here are the core details:
- Date: Thursday, November 26, 2026
- Start time: 8 a.m., according to the organizer's website
- Start line: Oyster Pond parking lot, 80 Stage Harbor Road, Chatham, MA 02633
- Distance: 5K (3.1 miles), run or walk
- Fees: $35 per person through November 6, then $45
- Registration: opened September 8, 2026
- Beneficiary: Lower Cape Outreach Council
- Organizer contact: turkeytrot@lcoutreach.org or 508-240-0694
Everything below builds on those facts. Anything the organizers have not posted for 2026 is marked as such.
When Is the Chatham Turkey Trot in 2026?
The race falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026, which is Thanksgiving Day. The organizer's website gives an 8 a.m. start. The RunSignup page does not list a start time, so treat 8 a.m. as the organizer's figure and recheck it the week of the race.
Past editions followed the same pattern. The Cape Cod Chronicle reported that the 21st race stepped off at 8 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2025, from the Oyster Pond lot. Because Thanksgiving always lands on the fourth Thursday of November, the date moves a little each year. Do not rely on last year's calendar entry.
You can add the race to your holiday plans early, since registration opened in September. The Chamber's events page lists community events around town, and the 2026 events timeline shows how the rest of the season fits around Thanksgiving.
Chatham Turkey Trot Route and Start Line
The organizer describes the course as a 3.1 mile loop that begins at the Oyster Pond parking lot on Stage Harbor Road. A route map is posted on the organizer's website. No turn-by-turn description appears on the RunSignup page, so check the map before race day.
The Cape Cod Chronicle's recap of the 2025 race gives a sense of the scale at the start. The crowd stretched from the Oyster Pond Beach parking lot up Stage Harbor Road toward downtown Chatham, and it took about 15 minutes for everyone to cross the starting line. That is useful to know if you plan to run for time. Line up near the front only if you intend to run fast.
Road Closures and Course Safety
As of mid-October 2026, neither the organizer nor the Town of Chatham had published road-closure details. Expect runners to fill Stage Harbor Road around the 8 a.m. start, and check the organizer's FAQ in the days before the race. Whatever the closures, keep common sense on the roads. The Chamber's guide to Chatham road rules covers how walkers and runners should use sidewalks, face oncoming traffic when there is no sidewalk, and cross at marked intersections.
Walkers, Families and Strollers
The event is billed as a run/walk, so there is no minimum pace. The organizer's website says the event welcomes strollers and families, and the Chronicle's 2025 preview said the same. The organizer does not publish a policy on dogs, so email turkeytrot@lcoutreach.org before you bring one.
Chatham Turkey Trot Registration, Fees and Deadlines
Registration runs through RunSignup. The official page lists these 2026 prices and dates:
- $35 per person if you register by November 6
- $45 per person from November 7 through November 26, with no T-shirt included
- $10 for a T-shirt if you add one by October 30
- Opens: September 8, 2026
- Closes: November 26, 2026
The organizer's FAQ says online registration stays open until 7:30 a.m. on race morning. Even so, the price jumps $10 after November 6, and the shirt add-on deadline of October 30 is only weeks away. Register early if you want a shirt.
One note on shirts. The organizer's FAQ still mentions an older free-shirt deadline of October 23. Go by the RunSignup terms above: $10 per shirt, added by October 30.
The organizer's FAQ also states that there are no refunds. If you cannot attend, the fee counts as a donation to the Lower Cape Outreach Council. Personal fundraising pages are available again for 2026 through the race's RunSignup fundraiser page.
The 2026 registration lists only the in-person 5K run/walk. There is no virtual option this year, unlike the $20 virtual entry the Chronicle reported for 2025.
Packet Pickup for the Chatham Turkey Trot
The official page lists three ways to collect your bib and any shirt:
- Marathon Sports, South Yarmouth: Tuesday, November 24, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Chatham Community Center: Wednesday, November 25, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Race morning: Thursday, November 26, starting at 7 a.m.
If you live in Chatham or are already in town, the Community Center pickup on Wednesday afternoon is the easiest. It lets you skip the race-morning crowd. If you are traveling in for the holiday, the Tuesday South Yarmouth pickup works for anyone coming down the Cape.
Parking and Getting to the Start
The organizer does not give parking instructions on its homepage. It points runners to the Town of Chatham's official parking maps. No shuttle or lot-by-lot plan has been published for 2026, so confirm the latest instructions before race day.
Planning matters here. The 2025 race drew a record field, and the start sits on Stage Harbor Road, a short distance from downtown. Leave more time than you think you need, and consider walking or carpooling from wherever you park. If you are driving in from off Cape, the Chamber's guide on how to get to Chatham explains the route and typical drive times. Plan your arrival around the 8 a.m. start.
Who Benefits From the Chatham Turkey Trot
The Chatham Turkey Trot benefits the Lower Cape Outreach Council. The organizer's website says all money and donations raised by the race go to the council. According to the Cape Cod Chronicle, the council operates nine emergency food pantries and also provides financial assistance and holiday programs for households in need.
The Chronicle's December 2025 recap reported what the 2025 race made possible:
- Thanksgiving meals for more than 900 households
- Stocked shelves at nine local food pantries
- Support from 31 business sponsors
The Chronicle reported in November 2025 that the previous year's race drew 2,600 participants and raised more than $100,000. The RunSignup page also lists local sponsors for 2026, and the Chamber's business directory is a good place to find other Chatham businesses to support through the season.
Chatham Turkey Trot 2025 Recap: Turnout, Winners and Costumes
The 2026 race is the 22nd edition, according to the RunSignup listing. The Cape Cod Chronicle called the 2025 race the 21st, which is consistent.
Here is what the Cape Cod Chronicle reported from the 2025 race, published December 3, 2025:
- More than 3,000 people registered, a record for the event
- Sam Thomas, 27, of Claremont, California, won the men's race in 16:17.7
- Caroline Barry, 26, of Waban, won the women's race in 18:25.4
- Ashley Baker, 54, of Chatham, was the second woman, finishing in 18:41.4
- Costumes included Pilgrims, lobsters, Santas and turkeys
Thomas told the Chronicle he planned to rejoin his family on the course after he finished, saying, "I just knew it was going to be fun to get the whole family out." That mix of fast times and family walking is the point of the day. Fast runners finish in the high teens, and plenty of people take the route at stroller speed in a turkey hat.
Full results for 2025 are posted on the organizer's website.
Tips for Thanksgiving Morning in Chatham
A few practical habits will make race morning smoother:
- Pick up your packet early. The Wednesday Community Center window in Chatham keeps your Thursday simple.
- Arrive well before 8 a.m. The field was large enough in 2025 that crossing the start line took about 15 minutes.
- Line up by pace. Walkers and families toward the back, runners aiming for a fast 5K near the front.
- Dress in layers. Late November on the water can be raw. Check the forecast the night before and wear something you can tie around your waist.
- Wear a costume if you like. Pilgrims, lobsters and turkeys all showed up in 2025.
- Plan your holiday meal around it. The race is a morning event, which leaves the rest of Thanksgiving free.
- Check opening hours before you head out afterward. Holiday hours vary, so call ahead if you want a coffee or a bite after the race.
- Bring a ride plan. If you park farther away, a brief walk to the start is part of the day.
Other Fall Running in Chatham
The Chatham Turkey Trot is not the only November race in town. In 2025, the Chronicle reported the Chatham in the Fall 10K on Sunday, November 23, starting at 9 a.m. at Monomoy Regional Middle School, with two-person relay teams as well as individual entries. The 2026 edition is set for Sunday, November 22, at 9 a.m. at Monomoy Regional Middle School, according to its RunSignup listing.
For the wider Chatham calendar, the Chamber's 2026 events timeline is the place to start.
Plan Your Chatham Thanksgiving Weekend With the Chamber
The Turkey Trot is one of the best-known ways to start Thanksgiving in Chatham. To see what else is happening in town, browse the Chamber's events calendar or the Chamber events page. To find local shops, restaurants and services that are open for the holiday, search the Chamber's business directory. Questions about Chamber events or membership can go through the Chatham Chamber contact page, by phone at 1-508-945-5199 or by email at chamber@chathaminfo.com. Questions about race registration should go to the race organizers listed above.