Thanksgiving in Columbus 2026: races, meals, closures, trash

Last checked Oct. 6, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Race, closure and schedule details come from each organizer’s or agency’s own page, linked below.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. Columbus city offices close Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26-27, METRA runs no buses on Thanksgiving Day, and Muscogee County schools are out the whole week. The local turkey trot is the Beat the Bird 5K and 10K on the Saturday before, Nov. 21.

Who to call

• City services, trash and recycling: 311
• METRA transit: 706-225-4673
• Columbus Public Library: 706-243-2669
• Feeding the Valley Food Bank: 706-561-4755
• Emergency: 911

Turkey trots and races

• Beat the Bird 5K and 10K, 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at Hardaway High School. Both races use road and Rails to Trails courses. Registration ends Thursday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m.; packets are picked up Friday, Nov. 20, from noon to 6 p.m. at Big Dog Fleet Feet, 12 W. 11th St., and there is no race-day pickup. It is the second race of the Columbus Roadrunners’ Holiday Classic Series (race page).
• Gobbler 5K, 10K and half marathon, Saturday, Nov. 7, at Rotary Park on the Riverwalk, run by US Road Running. The organizer says its races are small, with one or two staff, no EMS on site and water only at the end of each lap (race page).

What is open and closed

City government. The Columbus Consolidated Government’s holiday list, posted on the Public Works page, shows Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26, and the day after, Friday, Nov. 27, as city holidays.

METRA buses. No bus service Thursday, Nov. 26. On Friday, Nov. 27, buses run a Saturday schedule and the office is closed, according to METRA’s FY2027 holiday schedule.

Schools. The Muscogee County School District’s 2026-27 calendar gives students Nov. 23-27 off for Thanksgiving break.

Libraries. The Chattahoochee Valley Libraries’ hours page lists regular hours only. The Columbus Public Library at 3000 Macon Road answers holiday questions at 706-243-2669.

Trash pickup changes

The city has not yet posted its 2026 Thanksgiving pickup notice. On last year’s city holiday schedule, Thanksgiving Thursday routes were collected the Wednesday before, and Friday routes ran as usual on the day after Thanksgiving with no make-up day. The 2026 notice will appear on the Public Works page, where the July notice was posted. Call 311 if your cart is missed.

Thanksgiving meals and giving

Holiday dinner dates for 2026 have not been posted yet by the groups that host them; this page will add them when they are.

• Valley Rescue Mission, 2903 Second Ave., serves a hot meal every day through its Loaves and Fishes ministry, which it says feeds more than 120 people daily (mission site).
• Feeding the Valley Food Bank supplies pantries across the area from 6744 Flat Rock Road in Midland (food bank site).

Thanksgiving weekend

• Black Friday and Small Business Saturday: Uptown’s Holly Jolly Market fills Broadway from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 28. Store hours and the market are on our Black Friday and holiday shopping guide.
• Disney’s Frozen The Musical opens at the Springer Opera House with shows at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29, and runs through Dec. 20. The Springer asks buyers to purchase only from its own website or box office, 706-327-3688 (calendar listing).
• The Broadway Holiday Parade and tree lighting is the Friday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 20. Details are on our holiday lights and Christmas events page.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a turkey trot in Columbus, Georgia? The Columbus Roadrunners’ Beat the Bird 5K and 10K starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, at Hardaway High School. Registration closes Nov. 19 at 6 p.m., and there is no race-day packet pickup.

Are Columbus city offices open the day after Thanksgiving? No. The Columbus Consolidated Government lists Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26, and the day after, Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, as holidays.

Do METRA buses run on Thanksgiving in Columbus? No. METRA runs no buses on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, and runs a Saturday schedule on Friday, Nov. 27, when its office is closed.

Is trash picked up on Thanksgiving in Columbus? Last year the city collected Thanksgiving Thursday routes on the Wednesday before and ran Friday routes as usual. The 2026 notice goes up on the Public Works page before the holiday; call 311 to check.

When is Thanksgiving break for Muscogee County schools? Nov. 23-27, 2026, on the Muscogee County School District’s 2026-27 calendar.

What this means for you

• Register for Beat the Bird by Nov. 19 and pick up your packet Nov. 20; there is no race-day pickup.
• If you ride METRA, plan Thanksgiving Day trips without the bus.
• Thursday trash customers should expect a Wednesday pickup if the city repeats last year’s schedule.

Related: Halloween events in Columbus, things to do this weekend and New Year’s Eve in Columbus.