Turkey Trots in the Southwest Suburbs for 2026 (and Thanksgiving Day Races With a Kids' Run)

by Brian Wittman

You get a run before the turkey, a shirt, maybe a medal, and a pie you earned. For a lot of families out here it's the best tradition of the whole holiday.

Here's what you may not realize. Almost none of the towns out here actually host one on Thanksgiving morning.

Across all 21 towns out here, only Orland Park and Joliet put on a turkey trot on Thanksgiving Day itself. The rest run the weekend before, the Saturday after, or the first week of November. And the price climbs the longer you wait. In Tinley Park, the same race costs $22 if you sign up early and $45 if you show up that morning.

Where are the turkey trots in the southwest suburbs this year?

You've got two on Thanksgiving morning: the Orland Park Turkey Trot, a 2.5 mile cross-country race through John Humphrey Woods, and Joliet's Poultry and Pie Predictor, a 4 mile run with a free toddler dash. The weekend after Thanksgiving, Turkey Trails runs a 5K, 10K and half marathon at Hammel Woods in Shorewood. The Saturday before, New Lenox runs the Gobbler Gauntlet 5K at The Sanctuary Golf Course. And Tinley Park gets the season started on November 1. Every race below is confirmed on the organizer's own 2026 registration page, so you aren't chasing last year's dates.

Which turkey trots are on Thanksgiving morning?

Orland Park Turkey Trot (Orland Park). Thursday, November 26, at 8 AM, starting from the Franklin Loebe Center at 14650 S. Ravinia Ave. It's a 2.5 mile chip-timed cross-country course through John Humphrey Woods, which is a nice change from running laps around a parking lot. It's capped at 1,000 runners, it sold out last year, and there's no race-day sign-up. Registration's $25 right now, and it goes up to $30 after October 30. If you're settling into Orland Park, this is the one your neighbors already have on the calendar. There's no kids' race on Thanksgiving morning. Register on the race's RunSignUp page.

PSRR Poultry and Pie Predictor (Joliet). Thursday, November 26, at the Barber and Oberwortmann Horticultural Center, 227 N. Gougar Rd. This one's different. You predict your finish time, you'll run without a watch or a phone, and whoever finishes closest to their own prediction wins a turkey, a pie or a gift card. So you don't have to be fast. You've just got to know yourself. The 4 mile run is $20 at 9:00, the 1 mile kids' run for ages 6 to 12 is $12 at 8:40, and the Toddler Gobbler, a 25 yard dash for kids 5 and under, is free at 10:20. The Prairie State Road Runners have been putting it on for more than 40 years. It's capped at 250 for the 4 mile, and registration closes the night before. A free dash for the littlest ones is a small thing that says a lot about moving to Joliet, IL with a toddler. Details on the Prairie State Road Runners' race page.

What turkey trots run the weekend before or after?

Turkey Trails (Shorewood), Saturday, November 28. Two days after Thanksgiving, Turkey Trails runs out of Hammel Woods at the Route 59 access, 554 Brook Forest Ave. It's got the biggest menu of distances on this list: a kids' dash, a 1 mile, a 5K, a 10K and a half marathon. The kids' dash for 10 and under is free on race day if you skip the bib, shirt and medal, and the 5K or 10K for 12 and under is $17. It's run by Bodies Race Company, a for-profit series that puts on Turkey Trails races in a lot of cities, and its date moves year to year (last year's ran November 8). For anyone house hunting in Shorewood, a forest preserve start line is a pretty good preview of the place. Sign up on the Turkey Trails Shorewood page.

Gobbler Gauntlet 5K (New Lenox), Saturday, November 21. The New Lenox Community Park District runs this one at The Sanctuary Golf Course at 8 AM, with walk-up registration from 7:00. You'll pay $35 online until November 20 at 5 PM, or $45 on race day, and it's for ages 7 and up. Register by October 31 if you want a guaranteed shirt. Your entry fee goes to the park district's scholarship program. Details on the park district's event page.

Are there turkey trots earlier in November?

Tinley Park-Park District Turkey Trot (Tinley Park), Sunday, November 1. It's at Vogt Woods, 6641 W. 171st St., from 8 to 10 AM, and it's part of the district's 5K and 8K series. You'll pay $22 without a shirt or $30 with one if you pre-register by Wednesday, October 28 at 3 PM. Wait until race day and it's $45. That's the biggest early-bird gap you'll find on this list. Details on the Tinley Park-Park District site.

Orland Hills Turkey Trot, Saturday, November 7. Orland Hills runs a 1 mile junior race and a 5K at Kelly Park. Its own registration page already says registration's closed, so you'll want to check the Orland Hills recreation page before you plan on it.

What does a turkey trot actually cost?

Less than you'd think, as long as you sign up early.

The pattern's the same nearly everywhere. Early registration's cheapest, the price goes up as the race gets closer, and race day's the most you'll pay. Tinley Park goes from $22 to $45. New Lenox goes from $35 to $45. Orland Park doesn't let you register on race day at all.

So for a family of four, the decision you make in October can be worth $40 or $50 by Thanksgiving. And if you've got little ones, the free dashes in Joliet and Shorewood are the cheapest holiday tradition you'll find.

Which turkey trot is best for kids?

Joliet's, and it isn't close. The Toddler Gobbler's free for 5 and under, the kids' mile is $12, and the prediction format means your slow, steady family can win a pie.

Shorewood's free kids' dash is the other strong pick. Orland Park and New Lenox don't run a kids' race, and New Lenox's 5K doesn't start until age 7.

The Bottom Line

If Thanksgiving morning is the point, you've got two options out here: Orland Park's woods course or Joliet's prediction run. If the date's flexible, Shorewood the Saturday after and New Lenox the Saturday before both give you a real race, and Tinley Park opens the season on November 1.

Whichever one you pick, sign up early. The early price is real money, and the races with a cap don't wait for you.

Beecher, Channahon, Frankfort, Homer Glen, Lemont, Lockport, Manhattan, Manteno, Minooka, Mokena, Monee, Palos Hills, Palos Park and Peotone all got checked, and there wasn't a 2026 turkey trot in any of them. Palos Heights has run a kids' Gobble Wobble the Saturday before Thanksgiving in past years, so watch the village calendar for this year's date. That's not a knock on any of those towns. It just means one didn't turn up.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a turkey trot?

It's a fun run or race held on or around Thanksgiving, usually a 5K or shorter, often with a kids' race and a charity tie-in. Plenty of people show up in costume, then go home and eat.

Is there a turkey trot on Thanksgiving Day near Orland Park or Joliet?

Yes. The Orland Park Turkey Trot runs at 8 AM on Thanksgiving from the Franklin Loebe Center, and Joliet's Poultry and Pie Predictor runs that morning at the Barber and Oberwortmann Horticultural Center. Neither one lets you register on race day, so don't wait for Wednesday night.

Which turkey trot has a free kids' race?

Joliet's Toddler Gobbler is free for kids 5 and under, and Shorewood's Turkey Trails kids' dash is free on race day for 10 and under if you skip the bib, shirt and medal.

How much does a turkey trot cost?

Most local races run $20 to $35 if you register early, and you'll pay up to $45 on race day. Kids' races usually cost less, and a couple don't cost anything.

Can you walk a turkey trot?

Yes. Joliet's 4 mile is billed as a run or walk, Turkey Trails welcomes walkers, and the shorter fun runs are built for families. Check each race's page for any time limit.

Do turkey trots sell out?

Some do. Orland Park caps its race at 1,000 runners and sold out last year, and Joliet caps its 4 mile at 250. If you've got your heart set on one, don't wait.

If you know a turkey trot out here I missed, tell me and I'll go check it out.

I post the local stuff like this as it comes up, so if you want next month's list before it's a blog post, follow along on Instagram over at @chicagolandhomeandmoney.

Brian Wittman is a licensed real estate broker (Real Broker LLC), mortgage loan originator (NMLS #2646598, NEXA Mortgage, LLC, Equal Housing Lender), and life insurance producer (Levinson & Associates). For full disclosures, visit https://bluejeanbroker.com/disclosures.