Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26. The Turkey Day Run starts at Marion Square at 9 a.m.; CCSD is out Nov. 23-27; city offices close Nov. 26-27.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from each organizer’s own page, linked below. The city’s 2026 holiday trash schedule is not out yet; we will add it when the city posts it.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. The Charleston area’s biggest turkey trot starts at Marion Square that morning, Charleston County schools are out the whole week, and City of Charleston offices and recreation centers close Thursday and Friday.

Who to call

  • Trash and any city question: Citizen Services Desk, 843-724-7311
  • Recycling: Charleston County Environmental Management, 843-720-7111
  • Holiday Festival of Lights: James Island County Park office, 843-406-6990
  • Police non-emergency: 843-743-7200

The Turkey Day Run and Gobble Wobble

The Turkey Day Run and Gobble Wobble 5K has been a Charleston family tradition for 49 years and raises money for local charities, according to the race.

Time, Thursday, Nov. 26 What happens
7 to 8:30 a.m. Runners and walkers line up in color-coded corrals
8:30 a.m. Everyone must be in their corral
9 a.m. 5K run and walk start in waves
9:15 to 11 a.m. Post-race celebration
10:30 a.m. Kids fun run, then awards
  • Start and finish: Marion Square, Meeting Street.
  • Packet pickup: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, at Patriots Hall at the Omar Shrine Auditorium, 176 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant. There is no race-day registration or packet pickup.
  • Strollers and wagons: register for the Walkers with Strollers corral, which starts last.

Downtown streets around Marion Square are busy that morning; plan extra time if you are driving to Thanksgiving dinner. Parking options are on our getting around guide.

Thanksgiving week events

  • Friendsgiving Bingo, Thursday, Nov. 19, 4 to 5:30 p.m., St. Julian Devine Community Center, 1 Cooper St. Free, with light snacks, from the city’s Fall 2026 Recreation Guide.
  • Gobble and Glue, Saturday, Nov. 21, 9:30 to 11 a.m., Tiedemann Park Nature Center, 38 Elizabeth St. A nature class on turkeys with a craft, ages 5 to 10; registration and a fee.
  • West Ashley Thanksgiving Market and Pumpkin Smash, Sunday, Nov. 22, noon to 4 p.m., Ackerman Park, 55 Sycamore Ave., according to the city’s Charleston Farmers Market. Bring your old jack-o’-lanterns.
  • Holiday Festival of Lights on Thanksgiving night. The county’s drive-through show at James Island County Park opens Friday, Nov. 13, and is open 5:30 to 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving, according to the festival FAQ. More on our holiday lights page.

The Saturday Charleston Farmers Market in Marion Square is closed Saturday, Nov. 28, the market says.

What is open and closed

Service Thanksgiving week 2026
City offices Closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26-27
City recreation centers, pools and tennis centers Closed Nov. 26-27 (Fall 2026 Recreation Guide)
Charleston County School District Closed Monday to Friday, Nov. 23-27; Nov. 23 and 24 are possible weather make-up days (2026-27 calendar)
County recycling Runs one day late for the rest of the week
City garbage and trash 2026 schedule not posted yet; see below

Trash pickup. The city posts its Thanksgiving schedule in mid-November on its news page, its trash page and the CHS TrashTracker app. In 2025, the city said:

  • City crews (peninsula, inner West Ashley, James Island) ran a normal schedule Monday to Wednesday, skipped Thanksgiving and collected Thursday routes on Friday.
  • Trident Waste on Johns Island and in outer West Ashley moved Thursday routes to Friday and Friday routes to Saturday.
  • Trident Waste on Daniel Island and in Cainhoy kept a normal schedule.

That is the 2025 notice; do not rely on it for 2026 dates until the city confirms. Charleston County lists Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26, among the holidays that push recycling back one day for the rest of the week. Pickup days and convenience centers are on our trash and recycling page.

Community Thanksgiving meals

We list free community Thanksgiving dinners and food distributions in Charleston once the churches, nonprofits and agencies running them post the date, time and place. Send yours through our contact page.

What this means for you

  • Pick up your Turkey Day Run packet Wednesday in Mount Pleasant; there is none on race day.
  • Schools are out all week, so plan child care from Monday, Nov. 23.
  • Wait for the city’s notice before moving your trash day.

More: Black Friday and holiday shopping, holiday lights and Christmas events and the Christmas parade and tree lighting.

Frequently asked questions

What time does the Charleston Turkey Day Run start?

The 5K run and walk starts at 9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, 2026, at Marion Square, with corrals open from 7 a.m. and a kids fun run at 10:30 a.m. There is no race-day registration or packet pickup.

Is there trash pickup on Thanksgiving in Charleston?

The city had not posted its 2026 schedule as of Oct. 12. In 2025 city crews ran normally Monday to Wednesday, skipped Thanksgiving and collected Thursday routes on Friday. Charleston County recycling runs one day late after Thanksgiving.

When is Thanksgiving break for Charleston County schools in 2026?

Schools are closed Monday through Friday, Nov. 23-27. The district lists Nov. 23 and 24 as possible weather make-up days.

Is the Holiday Festival of Lights open on Thanksgiving?

Yes. Charleston County Parks says the festival at James Island County Park is open from 5:30 to 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

Are Charleston city offices open the day after Thanksgiving?

No. The city lists Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26 and 27, as observed holidays, and its recreation facilities are closed both days.