What to Know
- Turkey Trots are a Thanksgiving morning tradition for runners, walkers, and everyone seeking fresh air, get-moving activity, and community spirit
- Long Beach's Turkey Trot happens near the beach at 1 Granada Ave.; Turkey Trot Los Angeles is raising money for the Midnight Mission
- Thanksgiving 2022 is on Thursday, Nov. 24
Thanksgiving morning? It's an understatement to say that it can be an especially busy time.
There are dinner rolls to warm, gravy boats to locate, quick trips to the store to procure more dinner rolls (after people ate them at breakfast), and all sorts of "I yam" jokes to make as you open cans containing everyone's favorite sweet spud.
But there's something sweet about stepping away from the hubbub, at least for a few hours, to join your buddies, your relatives, or people from across the region to hoof it over a quick kilometer or five fast miles. Or another length, depending upon the event's offerings.
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And there are oodles of offerings to consider, considering that so many cities around Southern California put their own spin on the trotful tradition, which is all about exercise, fresh air, holiday cheer, and community.
Your own neighborhood or town might have a trot brewing on Nov. 24, 2022. Or you can look to some of the fun runs below, where making quips involving the word "yam," or even dressing like a yam, are part of the celebratory scene.
Be sure to check registration details before you go, and find out all the details you know before you yam it up, er, ham it up at one of these fall-fun festivities.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
Turkey Trot Los Angeles: The start and finish line of this biggie is a cinch to remember. It's all beginning and ending at City Hall, where a "lively expo" will also take place. The event's beneficiary? It's Midnight Mission. There are three runs, including the Widdle Wobble for kids.
Long Beach Turkey Trot: This longtime favorite happens fairly close to the sand, with an earlier start time for the 10K and a 9 a.m. set-off for the people facing five kilometers. Dressing up as a can of cranberries? It's a happening known for its high spirit and quirky costumes.
Dana Point Turkey Trot: The ocean-close hamlet will be one of the most shimmer-filled spots this holiday season, thanks to those harbor-cute holiday decorations, but on Nov. 24? It's all about the trot-tastic run/walks. There's a 15K Combo, if you'd like to run a bit further than the traditional 5K or 10K.
Drumstick Dash: The NoHo Arts District is one of the most vibrant spots in all of SouthernCaliforniaLand, and on Thanksgiving morning? The area is especially lively, thanks to the sizable gathering. "All proceeds go to help homeless men, women, and children" share the organizers.
OC Turkey Trot: Irvine Valley College is the place where this get-going gobbler will be afoot, and there are three run/walks to consider, including one made for the younger set. Costumes are a big deal at this festivity, so don your best green bean-themed get-up.
Eighth Annual Palisades Development Turkey Trot: You'll trot over to the Palisades Charter High School for this community event, which is returning after a two-year hiatus. Desita, an organization that helps to "support medical and humanitarian missions in developing nations," is the beneficiary.
Turkey Trot OC: The Tustin to-do can be an easy-breezy affair, if you want to take it at a low-key pace, but competitive participants are welcome, too. The Orange County Rescue Mission is the organization behind the give-back event.
