Thanksgiving in Asheville is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026: the downtown Turkey Trot at 9:15 a.m., no trash pickup that day and Thursday routes moved to Friday.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from the City of Asheville holiday schedule and each organizer’s page, linked below. City of Asheville customer service: 828-251-1122.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. In Asheville the day starts with two turkey trots, the downtown race through Montford and a second 5K at Biltmore Park, and the city takes the day off: no trash or recycling pickup, and city offices close. Thursday trash routes move to Friday.

What this means for you

  • Thursday trash and recycling customers: carts out by 7 a.m. Friday, Nov. 27.
  • Downtown Turkey Trot runners: register by Nov. 1 if you want a guaranteed shirt.
  • Driving downtown Thanksgiving morning: streets around Woodfin Street, Montford and Pack Square carry runners from 8:30 a.m.

Turkey trots

Asheville Turkey Trot, downtown. The 26th annual 5K and the Gobble Wobble 1-mile fun run, presented by Jus’ Running, are on Thanksgiving morning. The fun run starts at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K at 9:15 a.m., according to the Turkey Trot’s site.

  • Start and finish: Woodfin Street in front of the downtown YMCA, 30 Woodfin St.; the USATF-certified course loops through Montford and finishes at Pack Square Park, 80 Court Plaza.
  • Cost: $45 for the 5K and $25 for the 1-miler at the current price, which rises closer to race day. Registration is on RunSignup.
  • Shirts: included until the Nov. 1 cutoff or until they run out.
  • Packet pickup: 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, at Fred Anderson Subaru, 110 S. Bear Creek Road, or 7 to 8:30 a.m. race morning at Pack Square.
  • Rules: no dogs or pets on the course, which is not fully closed to traffic; strollers start at the back.
  • Parking: metered street parking downtown is free on Thanksgiving Day; garages are not. Organizers suggest College, Oak and Walnut streets.
  • Who it helps: proceeds go to MANNA FoodBank.

South Asheville Turkey Trot 5K. Starts and finishes at Biltmore Park Town Square at 9 a.m., with a 10:30 a.m. course cutoff and a route on quiet neighborhood streets, according to iDaph Events. Children 12 and under pay a lower price, strollers are welcome, and a virtual option is available.

What is open and closed

Service Thanksgiving, Nov. 26 Friday, Nov. 27
Trash and recycling No collection Thursday customers collected
City offices and Sanitation office Closed Closed in past years
Police, fire and 911 Normal, 24 hours Normal
Water emergencies 828-251-1122 828-251-1122

The trash schedule is from the city’s 2026 holiday collection schedule. For 2026 office, bus and recreation hours the city has not yet posted its Thanksgiving notice. In its 2024 notice the city:

  • closed city offices on Thanksgiving and the Friday after;
  • suspended Asheville Rides Transit bus service on Thanksgiving Day, one of two holidays a year when ART does not run (ART: 828-253-5691);
  • closed community center buildings both days while park playgrounds, courts and fields stayed open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.;
  • closed Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville on Thanksgiving and Friday, and the Asheville Municipal Golf Course and Aston Park Tennis Center on Thanksgiving Day only.

This page will be updated when the city posts its 2026 notice. Full trash details, including recycling weeks and bulky pickup, are on our trash and recycling page.

Community meals

Free Thanksgiving meals are announced by churches, nonprofits and the city’s community centers in November, and 2026 dates are not out yet. In 2024 the city’s community centers held a Friendsgiving potluck at the Burton Street Community Center and a turkey giveaway and hot community meal at the Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, according to the city’s 2024 notice. This section will list 2026 meals with times and places as each host announces them.

After Thanksgiving

Frequently asked questions

When is the Asheville Turkey Trot in 2026?

The 26th annual Asheville Turkey Trot is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. The Gobble Wobble 1-mile fun run starts at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K at 9:15 a.m. on Woodfin Street in front of the downtown YMCA, finishing at Pack Square Park.

Is there trash pickup on Thanksgiving in Asheville?

No. The city does not collect trash or recycling on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. Thursday customers are collected Friday, Nov. 27; carts go out by 7 a.m.

Is the Asheville bus running on Thanksgiving?

In past years the city has suspended Asheville Rides Transit service on Thanksgiving Day, one of two holidays when ART does not run. Check with ART at 828-253-5691 for 2026.

Is parking free in downtown Asheville on Thanksgiving?

Metered street parking is free downtown on Thanksgiving Day, according to the Turkey Trot organizers. Parking garages still charge.

Are there two turkey trots in Asheville?

Yes. Besides the downtown race, the South Asheville Turkey Trot 5K starts and finishes at Biltmore Park Town Square at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning.