For thousands of Sacramento area residents, Thanksgiving morning doesn’t start with coffee and the Macy’s parade. It starts in running shoes, in the cold, surrounded by neighbors. Turkey Trots — the Thanksgiving morning road races held in communities across the country — have become one of the region’s most reliable seasonal traditions. Two Sacramento area events stand out in 2026: the Folsom Turkey Trot, now in its 20th year, and Sacramento’s own Run to Feed the Hungry, the largest Thanksgiving race in the region.
Folsom Turkey Trot: The 20th Annual
The Folsom Turkey Trot turns 20 in 2026 — a milestone for a community race that started when smartphones were barely a thing. It runs on Thanksgiving morning, November 26, 2026, out of Rodeo Park (also known as Lions Park) at 200 Stafford Street in Folsom.
Distances are a 5K and a 10K. The 10K goes off at 8:50 a.m., followed by the 5K at 9:10 a.m. Both courses run through Folsom’s tree-lined streets and past some of the city’s neighborhood parks, keeping participants close to the start rather than routing them onto major arterials.
Registration is now in the general window: $38 through November 8, then $43 after that. Packet pickup is the evening before — Wednesday, November 25, from noon to 6 p.m. at the Folsom Community Center at 52 Natoma Street. Race-day pickup opens at 7:45 a.m. and closes at 8:30 a.m. at the start. One note from the organizers: shirts are first-come, first-served by size. Showing up Wednesday night is the surest way to leave with the right one.
Proceeds from the race go to three local causes: Twin Lakes Food Bank, the Never In Our Town Youth Scholarship, and Folsom’s local trail system. For a $38 entry fee, that’s a clean exchange — a race in a well-run city on a holiday morning, with the money staying local.
Run to Feed the Hungry: Sacramento’s Big One
If the Folsom Turkey Trot is the neighborhood race, Run to Feed the Hungry is the city-wide event. In its 33rd year, Sacramento’s largest Thanksgiving morning race draws tens of thousands of participants to 6000 J Street — the area near California State University, Sacramento. The 10K starts at 8:15 a.m., the 5K at 9:00 a.m.
All proceeds benefit Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, which serves the region year-round. Packet pickup runs November 21–25 at Fremont Presbyterian Church; race-day pickup opens at 7:00 a.m. Registration details and current pricing are at runtofeedthehungry.com. For the full breakdown, see the complete Run to Feed the Hungry guide.
The Details
- Folsom Turkey Trot — Thanksgiving morning, November 26: 10K starts 8:50 a.m., 5K starts 9:10 a.m. | Rodeo Park/Lions Park, 200 Stafford Street, Folsom, CA 95630 | $38 now through Nov. 8, $43 after | folsomturkeytrot.com
- Run to Feed the Hungry — Thanksgiving morning, November 26: 10K starts 8:15 a.m., 5K starts 9:00 a.m. | 6000 J Street, Sacramento | Benefits Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services | runtofeedthehungry.com
- Packet pickup (Folsom): Wednesday, November 25, noon–6 p.m. at Folsom Community Center, 52 Natoma Street | Race-day pickup 7:45–8:30 a.m.
- Packet pickup (Run to Feed the Hungry): November 21–25 at Fremont Presbyterian Church | Race-day pickup opens 7:00 a.m.
- What to wear: Late November mornings in Sacramento typically run 42–55°F. Layers are standard. Most runners start in a long-sleeve shirt and drop to a short sleeve after the first mile; leave something with family near the start line to retrieve after.
- Parking at Folsom: Arrive by 8:15 a.m. to allow time to park and walk to the start. Folsom’s downtown area has street parking and public lots near the Stafford Street vicinity.
Bottom Line
Both races fill up before race morning. The Folsom Turkey Trot’s general registration window closes November 8 at $38 — it climbs after that. Run to Feed the Hungry has historically sold out well before Thanksgiving. Register early, pick up your packet Wednesday if you can, and show up with enough time to find parking.
Turkey Trots are one of those Sacramento traditions that feel bigger in person than they look on paper: cold morning air, a few thousand people moving through a neighborhood, then everyone scatters back to kitchens. There are worse ways to start a holiday.
For more Sacramento Thanksgiving reading, see the Sacramento Thanksgiving Events guide. And if the running bug bites beyond the holiday, the California International Marathon runs on December 6 — one week after Thanksgiving.
