29 Wisconsin Turkey Trots for Thanksgiving 2026

Visiting family somewhere else in Wisconsin this Thanksgiving? Pack your running shoes along with the pie. These 29 confirmed 2026 race options include 17 with a 5K, plus shorter walks and longer runs across the state.

Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 26. La Crosse’s university trot is November 21, Belmont is November 27, and Brookfield is November 28. All times below are Central. For more races close to home, use our Milwaukee-area Turkey Trot guide.

Jump to Milwaukee & southeast · Madison & south · Fox Valley & northeast · Central Wisconsin & Northwoods · Western Wisconsin · Northwest Wisconsin · Where to stay.

Milwaukee & southeast

Thiensville: Mequon–Thiensville Turkey Trot

Thu, Nov. 26 · 9 a.m. · 5K run/walk
Thiensville Village Park

A chip-timed community 5K close to the North Shore. Our Thiensville Turkey Trot & Gobble Gallop guide has more local planning details. Official race information & registration.

Milwaukee: Milwaukee Turkey Trot

Thu, Nov. 26 · 9 a.m. · 5K run/walk and 8K run
McKinley/Veterans Park

The lakefront option includes timed and untimed 5K entries, an 8K, and a kids’ dash at 8:45 a.m. The organizer’s current meeting address is 1750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive. Official race information & registration.

Muskego: St. Leonard Turkey Trot

Thu, Nov. 26 · 9 a.m. · 5K run and 3K walk
St. Leonard Catholic Church

A useful choice when your group wants different distances: runners have a chip-timed 5K, while walkers can choose a shorter 3K. Official race information & registration.

Burlington: Burlington Turkey Trot

Thu, Nov. 26 · 8:30 a.m. · 5K run/walk
Burlington High School

A southern Wisconsin option for families visiting Burlington or the Lake Geneva area. Meet at 400 McCanna Parkway; the official schedule lists the post-race celebration at 9:30 a.m. Official race information & registration.

Brookfield: Kelly Johnson Foundation Turkey Trot

Sat, Nov. 28 · 9 a.m. · 5K run/walk
Fox Brook Park

This 5K falls on Saturday, November 28, at Fox Brook Park. The organizer permits strollers, prohibits dogs on the course, and lists a separate vehicle-entry fee for the park. Official race information & registration.

Festival Foods options: 5 miles or 2 miles

These races are Thursday, November 26, with an 8 a.m. event start and separate participant waves. Use each location’s instructions for the lineup and course.

• Milwaukee at American Family Field — American Family Field.

For more local choices and kids’ events, see our full Milwaukee-area Turkey Trot roundup.

Madison & southern Wisconsin

Madison: Madison Turkey Trot

Thu, Nov. 26 · 8:30 a.m. · 5K run/walk
Alliant Energy Center

Choose a timed or untimed 5K. The kids’ dash starts at 8:15 a.m. Use the Alliant Energy Center entrance from Rimrock Road; the organizer prohibits event parking at Olin Park. Official race information & registration.

Fitchburg: Birdie Derby

Thu, Nov. 26 · 5K run 8:50 a.m.; 5K walk 9 a.m. · 5K run/walk and 10K run
Fitchburg Business Park

The former Berbee Derby has separate starts for the 10K at 8:30 a.m., 5K run at 8:50 a.m. and 5K walk at 9 a.m. The kids’ dash is at 8 a.m. Use the organizer’s Race Village and parking maps; its designated Race Village is at 5500 E. Cheryl Parkway. Official race information & registration.

Watertown: Run Turkey Run

Thu, Nov. 26 · 9 a.m. · 5K run/walk; 1K kids’ run
Riverside Park

The 5K begins at 9 a.m., followed by a 1K kids’ run at 10 a.m. The organizer says most 2026 proceeds will support its community pickleball-court fundraising effort. Official race information & registration.

Stoughton: Gobble Wobble

Thu, Nov. 26 · Confirm start with organizer · 5K run/walk
Level Up Fitness

Meet at Level Up Fitness, 225 Hoel Avenue. The organizer welcomes strollers and dogs, and invites food-pantry donations. Race-day registration begins at 8 a.m.; check the organizer for the run’s start time. Official race information & registration.

Belmont: Belmont Turkey Trot

Fri, Nov. 27 · 10 a.m. · 5K run/walk
Market Street trail / village green space

A Friday, November 27 option in southwestern Wisconsin. Runners and walkers have staggered starts on the trail by the Market Street green space; walkers can choose a shorter route. The map pin marks the street area, so follow the organizer’s directions to the start. Official race information & registration.

Festival Foods options: 5 miles or 2 miles

These races are Thursday, November 26, with an 8 a.m. event start and separate participant waves. Use each location’s instructions for the lineup and course.

• Janesville — Downtown Festival Street.

Fox Valley & northeast

Heading to the Fox Valley or Green Bay? These Festival Foods events all list an 8 a.m. start on November 26, with participants departing in waves. Choose a 5-mile run or 2-mile run/walk; these events do not offer a 5K. Dogs have a designated 2-mile Dog Jog.

• Appleton — Fox Cities Exhibition Center.
• Green Bay — Johnsonville Tailgate Village.
• Oshkosh — Sunnyview Expo Center. New 2026 venue.
• Fond du Lac — Fond du Lac High School.
• Manitowoc — Red Arrow Park.

Central Wisconsin & Northwoods

Wausau: United Way of Marathon County Turkey Trot

Thu, Nov. 26 · 8:30 a.m. · 5K run/walk
The 400 Block

This downtown Wausau 5K supports the United Way Hunger Coalition. Strollers and leashed dogs are welcome under the organizer’s rules; dogs must stay outside the Grand Theater. Official race information & registration.

Rhinelander: Rhinelander Turkey Trot

Thu, Nov. 26 · 8 a.m. · 5K run/walk
Rhinelander High School

A Northwoods option starting and finishing at the high school’s front doors. The commons provides a warming area and bathrooms; packet pickup and race-day registration run from 7 to 7:45 a.m. Official race information & registration.

Medford: Taylor County Humane Society Turkey Trot

Thu, Nov. 26 · 9 a.m. · 5K fun run/walk
Seidel Center

This 5K supports the Taylor County Humane Society and welcomes kids, strollers and pets. The event lists 819 S. Gibson Street; race-day registration is 8–8:45 a.m. Official race information & registration.

Festival Foods options: 5 miles or 2 miles

These races are Thursday, November 26, with an 8 a.m. event start and separate participant waves. Use each location’s instructions for the lineup and course.

• Marshfield — UW–Stevens Point at Marshfield. New 2026 venue.
• Stevens Point — Stevens Point Area Senior High School.

Western Wisconsin

Black River Falls: Gobbler Giveback

Thu, Nov. 26 · 8 a.m. · 5K run/walk
Black River Falls Chamber of Commerce

This in-person 5K is free, with donations encouraged for local nonprofits. Meet at 120 N. Water Street for an out-and-back on the Foundation Trail. The organizer warns that the trail can be icy. Official race information & registration.

La Crosse: UW–La Crosse Turkey Trot

Sat, Nov. 21 · 9 a.m. · 5K run/walk; Junior Gobbler races
Recreational Eagle Center

Arriving the weekend before Thanksgiving? UWL’s 5K is Saturday, November 21, rather than Thanksgiving Day. Junior Gobbler races begin at 10:30 a.m.; check the university’s current instructions for those events. Official race information & registration.

Festival Foods options: 5 miles or 2 miles

These races are Thursday, November 26, with an 8 a.m. event start and separate participant waves. Use each location’s instructions for the lineup and course.

• Onalaska / Coulee Region — Onalaska Omni Center.

Northwest Wisconsin

Rice Lake: Rotary Turkey Day 5K/2K

Thu, Nov. 26 · 5K walk 8:30 a.m.; run and 2K walk 9 a.m. · 5K run/walk and 2K walk
Northwood Technical College

Choose the 5K walk at 8:30 a.m., or the 5K run and 2K walk at 9 a.m. Children 12 and younger can participate free with a paid adult, according to the organizer. Official race information & registration.

Amery: Amery Turkey Trot

Thu, Nov. 26 · 8 a.m. · 5K run/walk
Soo Line Pavilion / Stower trailhead

An out-and-back 5K on the Stower Seven Lakes State Trail. The organizer describes a flat gravel route with road crossings and asks participants to leave dogs at home. Official race information & registration.

Festival Foods options: 5 miles or 2 miles

These races are Thursday, November 26, with an 8 a.m. event start and separate participant waves. Use each location’s instructions for the lineup and course.

• Eau Claire — Eau Claire YMCA.
• Hudson — Hudson YMCA.

Want your own place for Thanksgiving weekend?

You can love a family visit and still appreciate having your own room afterward. Choose lodging around the people you’re visiting, then check the drive to packet pickup and the race venue before booking.

• Green Bay: Compare Tundra Lodge on Expedia for suite-style rooms and an indoor waterpark. Check your room’s terms and the holiday waterpark schedule. Our Titletown and Green Bay lodging guide has more options around the Lambeau area.
• Fox Valley: Start with our Appleton lodging guide and compare the hotel’s location with the Fox Cities Exhibition Center race venue.

Hotel prices and availability depend on your dates. Check cancellation terms, parking and breakfast hours; an early race can start before a hotel serves breakfast.

Before you leave for the starting line

• Match the distance to your group. A 5K is about 3.1 miles. Festival Foods’ 5-mile run is longer; its 2-mile walk is shorter.
• Check the right edition. Use the linked 2026 organizer page for current fees, pickup instructions and any schedule changes.
• Check rules for kids, strollers and dogs. Policies vary by race, and a kids’ dash may start before or after the main event.
• Keep race-day travel simple. Allow time for parking, bathrooms, bib pickup and colder weather. Map pins show approximate venues, rather than exact start lines or course routes.

Back home for the holiday? Plan the rest of the day with our North Shore Thanksgiving guide and Thanksgiving dining guide.

Race details checked November 1, 2026, against the official organizer and registration pages linked above. This is a selected statewide roundup. Photo provided by Tim Cigelske.