THURSDAY
5
NOVEMBER
DC-Area Turkey Trots and Thanksgiving Weekend with Kids
Thanksgiving morning around DC is a turkey trot: Alexandria, Arlington, Bethesda and downtown Washington all run one on November 26, and Bethesda and downtown add a short race for kids. The Smithsonian museums and the Zoo stay open and free, and the Botanic Garden's train show opens that day.
Season: Thanksgiving week · Updated October 21, 2026 · refreshed weekly
- Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 26, 2026
- Kids' races: A 50-meter Tot Trot in Bethesda; a 1-mile Little Turkey run downtown
- Open on the day: Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo, the National Gallery, Mount Vernon
- Opens on the day: Season's Greenings at the Botanic Garden — free, 10am–5pm
- Closed on the day: DC Holiday Market, Brookside Gardens' Garden of Lights
Turkey trots that take kids
Four Thanksgiving-morning races close in. Bethesda and downtown DC run a short race for kids; Arlington and Alexandria price children into the main race.
YMCA Turkey Chase — Bethesda, MDVisit official site →
The Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA's Thanksgiving race, in its 44th year: a 10K, a 2-mile walk/run and a 50-meter Tot Trot.
Dates
- Thursday, November 26, 2026
- 10K 8:30am, 2-mile walk/run 9am
- Tot Trot, 50 meters, 9:30am
Tickets
10K $59.30, 2-mile $54, Tot Trot $22.20, fees included; prices rise after November 25
Know before you go
- Free parking at the Diener School and the Rochambeau French School — arrive early
- Race-day sign-up 6:30–8:30am
- Every runner gets a T-shirt
Who it's for
Toddlers and preschoolers — 50 meters is a race a two-year-old can finish
Skip if
Your child wants a real distance — the 2-mile walk/run is the step up
SOME's Trot for Hunger — WashingtonVisit official site →
The District's Thanksgiving race on Pennsylvania Avenue, raising money for So Others Might Eat: a timed 5K, a 1-mile run and a costume contest for dogs.
Dates
- Thursday, November 26, 2026
- Little Turkey 1-Miler 7:30am
- 5K 8:15am; pet costume contest 9:30am
Tickets
5K $65, Little Turkey 1-Miler $15, Virtual 5K $45, plus a sign-up fee; register by November 4 to be sure of a shirt
Know before you go
- A parent running the 1-Miler with a child does not need an entry of their own
- Strollers welcome — line up behind the runners
- No race-day registration
- Downtown parking is limited — the race suggests public transportation
- No water on the course; bottled water at the finish
Who it's for
A child ready to run a mile, with a parent alongside for free
Skip if
Your family does not do early — the kids' mile starts at 7:30am
Arlington Turkey Trot — Arlington, VAVisit official site →
A 5K run or walk through the Lyon Park and Ashton Heights neighborhoods, in its 21st year, with a medal for every child.
Dates
- Thursday, November 26, 2026
- 5K 8am
Tickets
$50 adults, $25 ages 6–17, free ages 5 and under, plus a sign-up fee
Know before you go
- Strollers and baby joggers welcome
- Leashed dogs welcome — the race asks you to start near the back
- On-street parking in the neighborhood; the course map marks the best areas
Who it's for
A family doing one 5K together, stroller and dog included
Skip if
Your kids want a race of their own — there is only the 5K
Alexandria Turkey Trot — Alexandria, VAVisit official site →
Del Ray's flat 5-mile race, past its 50th year, with its own stroller and dog categories.
Dates
- Thursday, November 26, 2026
- 5 miles, 9am; the course closes 10:30am
Tickets
Online: $10 age 12 and under, $20 ages 13–21, $25 adults; $5 more from November 1; race day $25, $35 and $40
Know before you go
- Braddock Road Metro (Yellow and Blue) is about a quarter mile from the start
- Parking at the school is limited
- Strollers and dogs start in their own areas
- Minors need a parent or guardian present to register and run
Who it's for
Walkers and runners 8 and up — the kids' entry is the cheapest on this page
Skip if
Your kids are small — 5 miles is long, and there is no kids' race
What is open on Thanksgiving Day
The Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo and the National Gallery stay open, and all are free. The Botanic Garden's holiday train show opens that morning.
- National Gallery of Art: open 10am–5pm, free; it closes only December 25 and January 1
- Bull Run Festival of Lights: open 5:30–10pm; only its carnival is closed
- DC Holiday Market: closed
- Brookside Gardens' Garden of Lights: closed November 23–26
- ZooLights, ICE! at Gaylord National and the National Children's Museum: no Thanksgiving hours posted yet
Season's Greenings — WashingtonVisit official site →
The Botanic Garden's holiday show: model trains circling plant-built national parks and historic places, and DC landmarks made of dried plants in the Conservatory.
Dates
- Opens Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 10am–5pm
- Daily through January 3, 2027; closed December 25
Tickets
Free — no tickets for any area, the train display included
Know before you go
- The outdoor trains may not run in bad weather; the Conservatory is indoors
Who it's for
Train-age toddlers, and anyone who needs to warm up after a morning race
Skip if
You want quiet — the Garden says holidays and the weekends around them are its busiest
Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo — WashingtonVisit official site →
Free museums along the Mall — Natural History and Air and Space are the two most children ask for — plus the Zoo in Woodley Park.
Dates
- Open Thanksgiving Day — most museums close only on December 25
- Zoo grounds 8am–4pm, last entry 3pm
Tickets
Free. Air and Space, African American History and Culture, and the Zoo need free timed passes
Know before you go
- Book the free passes before the day
Who it's for
Any age, any budget
Skip if
You are counting on the Zoo after dark — no ZooLights hours are posted for Thanksgiving night
George Washington's Mount Vernon — Mount Vernon, VAVisit official site →
Washington's estate on the Potomac: the Mansion, a farm with heritage-breed animals, a Revolutionary War encampment and a short forest trail.
Dates
- Open 365 days a year, Thanksgiving included
- 9am–5pm
Tickets
$30 adults 12 and over, $16 ages 6–11, free 5 and under; the Mansion tour is a separate timed ticket, online or at the gate
Know before you go
- Parking is free
- Book a Mansion tour time online — on busy days the first open slot can be two hours out
- Children 15 and under must be with an adult
Who it's for
Grade-schoolers — the farm animals and the encampment hold a seven-year-old
Skip if
You want a short outing — plan on several hours
Thanksgiving weekend: what is on Friday and after
Most of the region's light shows are already running by Thanksgiving. Friday adds the first two Mount Vernon by Candlelight evenings.
- Meadowlark's Winter Walk of Lights, Vienna: nightly from November 11; $19 online, $24 at the door
- Bull Run Festival of Lights, Centreville: nightly from November 14; $30–45 per car online
- Brookside Gardens' Garden of Lights: reopens Friday, November 27
- DC Holiday Market at Dupont Circle: reopens Friday; closed again Monday, November 30
- ICE! at Gaylord National: November 14, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Mount Vernon by Candlelight — Mount Vernon, VAVisit official site →
A candlelit guided tour of the Mansion and lantern-lit grounds set at Christmas 1776, with colonial dancing, costumed interpreters and Aladdin the camel.
Dates
- Friday and Saturday, November 27 and 28 — the first two of seven evenings
- Tours from 5pm; times vary by day
Tickets
$41 adults 12 and over, $33 ages 6–11, free 5 and under; each ticket carries a tour time
Know before you go
- Oversized strollers and wagons are not allowed, and the field has no paved paths
Who it's for
Seven and up gets the most from it
Skip if
Your youngest is four — two hours after dark on uneven ground is a stretch
ZooLights — WashingtonVisit official site →
Lit pathways and a lantern trail through the Zoo after dark.
Dates
- November 20, 2026 – January 3, 2027
- Monday–Saturday 5–9pm, Sunday 5–8pm; last entry 30 minutes before close
Tickets
$10; parking $30 bought ahead, $40 on the day
Who it's for
Any age, bundled up — it is an outdoor walk in the cold
Skip if
You plan to drive and did not buy parking ahead
Tree lightings: the weeks either side of Thanksgiving
The DC area's tree lightings straddle the holiday. Alexandria lights its tree the Saturday before; the National Christmas Tree lights a week after.
- CityCenterDC: Saturday, November 14, 5–7pm, a 78-foot tree — free, no tickets
- Alexandria: Saturday, November 21, 6–8pm, with Santa arriving on the King Street Trolley — free; location to be announced
- National Christmas Tree: Thursday, December 3, by free Recreation.gov lottery, October 28 – November 4
- Reston Town Center and the Capitol Christmas Tree: no 2026 lighting dates posted yet
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Thanksgiving-week kids events in the DC area
The next 9 of 30 upcoming Thanksgiving events across the DMV, refreshed daily.
Parent‑tot skate at Wheaton Ice Arena followed by a Turkey Time coloring craft in the party room, $10 includes skate rental, ages 3–4.
FRIDAY
6
NOVEMBER
Scavenger Hunt: Gobble Gobble at Middleburg Library — participants search hidden clues to assemble a Thanksgiving feast, for all ages.
Scavenger hunt at Rust Library challenges kids to locate Mr. Turkey and his friends for a small prize, ages 10 and under.
SATURDAY
7
NOVEMBER
Gobble Gobble cooking demo with ping pong, board games, arcade games, refreshments, a Sensory Room, and treat making at the Old Firehouse Center, for ages 17 and under.
Interactive story sparks imagination, then kids craft paper plate turkeys at Bladensburg, celebrating art for ages 5 and under.
MONDAY
9
NOVEMBER
Explore animal diets, set tiny Thanksgiving tables, and craft a fall wreath at Nature House Multi-purpose Room, for ages 18–35 months.
SATURDAY
14
NOVEMBER
Hands‑on nature‑inspired craft sessions at Clearwater Nature Center let participants create seasonal projects, like autumn leaves and turkey decorations, drop‑in from 1‑4 pm.
MONDAY
16
NOVEMBER
Search for pictures of traditional Thanksgiving foods throughout the children's area at Cascades Library, Sterling, for ages 10 and under; the library’s YouTube channel provides more programs.
TUESDAY
17
NOVEMBER
Renowned storyteller Dovie Thomason presents an on‑stage educational performance celebrating Native American Heritage Month, sharing multicultural “Stories of Thanks” that link science and Earth stewardship, for ages 4–11.
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FAQ
Which DC-area turkey trots have a kids' race?
Bethesda's YMCA Turkey Chase runs a 50-meter Tot Trot at 9:30am, and SOME's Trot for Hunger downtown has a 1-mile Little Turkey run at 7:30am. Arlington and Alexandria have no kids' race but charge children less for the main one.
What can we do with kids in DC on Thanksgiving Day?
Run a trot in the morning, then a Smithsonian museum, the National Zoo or the Botanic Garden's train show, which opens that day — all free. Mount Vernon is open too. The DC Holiday Market and Brookside's Garden of Lights are closed.
Which turkey trot would you pick with a preschooler?
Bethesda. The Tot Trot is 50 meters at 9:30am, after the adult races, so a parent can run first, and parking nearby is free. Downtown's kids' mile starts at 7:30am, early for a three-year-old.