Thanksgiving in Phoenix: Turkey Trots, Dinner and Lights

At a glance

• Where: Phoenix, Arizona: the Turkey Trot at Wesley Bolin Plaza, meals across the city, lights at the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden
• When: Thanksgiving Thursday (fourth Thursday of November) through the following weekend
• Cost: Free to watch and to volunteer; race entries, dinners and light-show tickets are priced by each organizer, so check the official site
• Getting around: Check valleymetro.org for Valley Metro's holiday light rail and bus schedule before you ride

Thanksgiving in Phoenix is a run, a meal and a lights weekend. The Phoenix Turkey Trot at Wesley Bolin Plaza is the main Thursday-morning event inside the city, restaurants and resorts such as the Arizona Biltmore post holiday dinners and take-home feasts, and the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden turn on holiday lights that weekend.

This guide is grouped by when things happen: Thursday morning, the meal, and the long weekend. It also covers volunteering and what is closed. Everything below returns most years; the exact 2026 dates sit in one section near the end.

How we chose

We picked 11 things that are inside the City of Phoenix and that an official site (the organizer's, the venue's or a downtown association's) confirms is running. We left out anything we could only find on third-party listings, anything outside Phoenix unless we say so, and anything we could not tie to a Thanksgiving offer. We give prices only where an official page posted them, and we tell you when a page did not say which year it applied to. Menus and times change, so treat every detail as something to confirm before you go.

What happens Thursday morning in Phoenix?

The main Thursday-morning event in Phoenix is a Thanksgiving Day race at Wesley Bolin Plaza, with a second trot on the Saturday after. There is no Thanksgiving Day parade in Phoenix itself that we could confirm.

Phoenix Turkey Trot, Wesley Bolin Plaza (downtown Phoenix)

The Phoenix Turkey Trot is held on Thanksgiving morning at Wesley Bolin Plaza, by the State Capitol, with a 10K, a 5K, a 1-mile and a Tot Trot for small kids. Its official page says every participant gets a shirt and a finisher medal and that there is a costume contest, so wear the turkey hat.

The organizer posts early packet pickup at Sole Sports stores in Scottsdale and Tempe on the days before Thanksgiving, which lets you skip the race-day pickup line in the dark. The race-day pickup time and start waves are on the official site, so confirm them when you register.

Thanksgiving Gobble Trot, G.R. Herberger Park (Saturday after)

If you would rather sleep in, the Thanksgiving Gobble Trot is run by The Best Races at G.R. Herberger Park in Phoenix on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It offers a 5K, 10K, half marathon and 1-mile fun run, plus virtual and no-shirt options. The registration page warns that spots sell out, so sign up early.

A parade, just outside Phoenix

The Fountain Hills Thanksgiving Day Parade, along Avenue of the Fountains in the town of Fountain Hills, is the Thanksgiving Day parade people in the Valley travel to. It is outside Phoenix. The Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce lists it as free to watch, with free parking, held every Thanksgiving Day since 1984, usually starting mid-morning and ending with Santa. Its listing gave conflicting dates and end times, so check it again before you drive.

Where can you eat Thanksgiving dinner in Phoenix?

Phoenix restaurants and resorts that post their own Thanksgiving offers include Chompie's, Durant's, the Arizona Biltmore and Wrigley Mansion. We list only ones whose own sites say something about the holiday.

Chompie's, 3212 E Cactus Rd, Phoenix

The deli's own Thanksgiving page describes a turkey-breast dinner with stuffing, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes, string beans, candied yams, rolls and a choice of apple or pumpkin pie, served on Thanksgiving Day during a late-morning-to-afternoon window at all locations. That page did not name a year or a take-home option, so confirm both with Chompie's before you plan around it.

Durant's, 2611 N Central Ave, Phoenix

Durant's, the old-school steakhouse on the Central Avenue corridor, says on its site that it opens early on Thanksgiving, with service starting at 11 a.m. Reservations go through the link in its Instagram profile. No holiday menu was posted, so ask what is on offer when you book.

Arizona Biltmore, 2400 E Missouri Ave, Phoenix (Biltmore)

The Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort lists two routes: a Thanksgiving brunch in the Gold Room, and a Thanksgiving To-Go feast that serves a group of six to eight and includes a turkey and a choice of pumpkin or pecan pie. You preorder, and pickup falls on the day before or the morning of Thanksgiving. Brunch reservations can close weeks before the holiday, so book early. See the Biltmore area page for the neighborhood.

Wrigley Mansion, 2501 E Telawa Trail, Phoenix

The hilltop Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix posts a Thanksgiving at Geordie's page describing a four-course, limited-choice menu with optional wine pairings, a children's price, and free dining for the youngest kids. Reservations go through the OpenTable link on that page, which also lists current prices and seating hours.

A note on what we skipped: several well-known Valley names have Thanksgiving menus, but their sites put the dinner in Scottsdale or Tempe, so they are not in this guide. For more places to eat on any other day, see where to eat in Phoenix.

What can you do on the long weekend?

The long weekend in Phoenix is when the holiday lights switch on, and several of the biggest displays start the night before or the day after Thanksgiving.

Phoenix Zoo ZooLights, 455 N Galvin Parkway

The Phoenix Zoo runs ZooLights nightly from the evening before Thanksgiving weekend through mid-January, in the evening hours. The page says dates and hours are subject to change. Buy tickets for the date you want, and confirm the nightly schedule on the zoo's site.

Las Noches de las Luminarias, Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N Galvin Parkway

The Desert Botanical Garden lights its paths with luminarias on the nights following Thanksgiving, starting the Friday of the holiday weekend. The garden also schedules Sonoran Santa photo sessions on Thanksgiving weekend, which makes this one of the easier family plans. The garden is closed on Thanksgiving Day itself.

PJs in the Park, Patriots Square at CityScape, downtown Phoenix

Downtown Phoenix Inc.'s events page lists a free outdoor screening of a Christmas film at Patriots Square at CityScape on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. Bring a blanket; confirm the time on the site. Downtown also has the downtown Phoenix area page if you want to build a walking evening around it.

Holiday tree lighting

We could not confirm an official downtown Phoenix tree lighting on Thanksgiving weekend. The Arizona Biltmore's holiday page lists a gingerbread display, afternoon teas and a shopping stroll through the Thanksgiving weekend instead, but no tree-lighting time, so call the resort if that is what you are after. Annual events in Phoenix covers the rest of the holiday calendar.

How can you volunteer or give back at Thanksgiving?

Two official Phoenix charities take volunteers through online sign-up portals: St. Mary's Food Bank and the Phoenix Rescue Mission.

St. Mary's Food Bank, 2831 N 31st Ave, Phoenix

St. Mary's Food Bank in Phoenix takes volunteers through a VolunteerHub portal and links to azfoodhelp.org to find food sites by ZIP code. Its homepage does not list Thanksgiving-specific shifts, so check the portal or call (602) 242-3663. Holiday shifts tend to fill early.

Phoenix Rescue Mission

The Phoenix Rescue Mission runs a Thanksgiving giving campaign and takes volunteers through its own VolunteerHub page. Contact volunteer@phxmission.org or call 602-233-3000 to ask about holiday meal shifts.

What is open and closed on Thanksgiving Day?

Most Phoenix museums close on Thanksgiving Day. The Heard Museum lists Thanksgiving under its holiday closures, the Phoenix Art Museum says it is closed on Thanksgiving, and the Desert Botanical Garden lists Thanksgiving Day among its closures. The Phoenix Zoo's site does not state Thanksgiving Day hours, so call 602-286-3800 before you go.

For transit, Valley Metro posts holiday service changes on its official site, so check its service alerts before you ride light rail or buses on the holiday.

This year's dates

For 2026, Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. Dates below come from each organizer's official page and can change.

• Phoenix Turkey Trot: Thursday, November 26, starts from 7:30 a.m. with the 1-mile; the 10K is at 7:50 and the 5K at 8:40.
• Thanksgiving Gobble Trot: Saturday, November 28, wave starts at 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30 a.m.
• Arizona Biltmore Thanksgiving To-Go pickup: Wednesday, November 25, noon to 6 p.m., or Thursday, November 26, 8 a.m. to noon.
• Thanksgiving at Geordie's, Wrigley Mansion: Thursday, November 26, noon to 6 p.m.
• Desert Botanical Garden: closed Thursday, November 26.
• Phoenix Zoo ZooLights: November 25, 2026 through January 15, 2027, nightly 5:30 to 10:30 p.m.
• Las Noches de las Luminarias: begins Friday, November 27, with photo sessions with Sonoran Santa that weekend.
• PJs in the Park: Saturday, November 28, 6 to 9 p.m.

What should be on your Phoenix Thanksgiving week checklist?

Six steps cover the race, the meal, the lights and the volunteering.

1. Register for the Phoenix Turkey Trot and plan early packet pickup the days before.
2. Book any Thanksgiving dinner or preorder a take-home feast well ahead; some sell out or close reservations.
3. Check Valley Metro's site for its holiday schedule.
4. Skip the museums on Thursday; they are mostly closed.
5. Book ZooLights or Las Noches de las Luminarias for Friday or Saturday.
6. Sign up with St. Mary's Food Bank or the Phoenix Rescue Mission before the holiday week fills up.

In Phoenix, you can run a 10K in the morning and be under holiday lights by Friday night.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Thanksgiving parade in Phoenix?

We could not confirm a Thanksgiving Day parade inside Phoenix. The one people travel to is the Fountain Hills Thanksgiving Day Parade, in the town of Fountain Hills, which the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce lists as a free, mid-morning parade held every Thanksgiving Day since 1984.

Where is the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot in Phoenix?

The Phoenix Turkey Trot is held on Thanksgiving morning at Wesley Bolin Plaza in downtown Phoenix. It offers a 10K, a 5K, a 1-mile and a Tot Trot, and the organizer posts current start times at phoenixturkeytrot.com.

Which Phoenix restaurants serve Thanksgiving dinner?

Chompie's, Durant's, the Arizona Biltmore and Wrigley Mansion all mention Thanksgiving on their own sites. Menus, prices and reservation windows change each year, so confirm with each restaurant.

Are Phoenix museums open on Thanksgiving?

Mostly no. The Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum and Desert Botanical Garden each say on their official sites that they are closed on Thanksgiving Day. Check the Phoenix Zoo directly, since its site did not state its holiday hours.

Does Valley Metro run on Thanksgiving?

Valley Metro posts its Thanksgiving Day service schedule for Phoenix light rail and buses on valleymetro.org. Check its service alerts before you travel, since holiday service can differ from a normal weekday.

How can I volunteer in Phoenix at Thanksgiving?

St. Mary's Food Bank and the Phoenix Rescue Mission both take volunteers through online VolunteerHub portals. Holiday shifts are not posted on either homepage, so sign up early and ask about Thanksgiving openings.