Thanksgiving in Charleston: Turkey Trots, Dinner and Lights

At a glance

• Where: Mostly downtown Charleston, plus Daniel Island and James Island County Park
• Main morning event: Turkey Day Run & Gobble Wobble 5K, Marion Square, usually Thanksgiving morning
• Parade?: No Thanksgiving Day parade; the city's Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting is usually in early December
• Cost: Varies: free (Daniel Island Turkey Trot) to set-menu dinners; check each official site

Thanksgiving in Charleston, South Carolina, centers on a turkey trot, not a parade: the Turkey Day Run & Gobble Wobble 5K starts in Marion Square on Thanksgiving morning, a few downtown restaurants serve set-menu dinners, and the Holiday Festival of Lights on James Island has usually opened by then. The city's own Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting lands in early December, after the holiday weekend.

This guide is grouped by when things happen: Thursday morning, the meal, and the long weekend. Specific dates and prices for this year sit in one section near the end, because they change.

Is there a Thanksgiving parade in Charleston?

No. We found no Thanksgiving Day parade on the City of Charleston's holiday notices. The parade people mean is the City of Charleston Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting, which, per the city's most recent notice we could find, was held on a Sunday in early December, with the parade in the afternoon and the tree lighting that evening in Marion Square. Treat it as the first big event after Thanksgiving week, not part of it.

Thursday morning: run, walk or volunteer

The morning belongs to the Turkey Day Run & Gobble Wobble 5K, with a quieter trot on Daniel Island a few days earlier.

1. Turkey Day Run & Gobble Wobble 5K, Marion Square

The Turkey Day Run & Gobble Wobble 5K starts at Marion Square, at Meeting and Calhoun streets in downtown Charleston, and the official site lists the 5K run and walk at 9:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, with start corrals opening from 7:00 a.m. A children's run follows at 10:30 a.m. The race site carries the name of Knights of Columbus Council 704, and its Giving Back page says proceeds have gone to more than 20 Charleston-area charities, including Special Olympics, Water Mission and Pet Helpers.

The insider detail: packet pickup is the day before at an expo, which the race lists at the Omar Shrine Auditorium on Patriots Point Road in Mount Pleasant, so plan that errand on Wednesday. If you would rather work than run, the race takes volunteers through its RunSignup page. Official site: turkeydayrun.com.

2. Daniel Island Turkey Trot

The Daniel Island Turkey Trot is a three-mile trot on Daniel Island that its official RunSignup page lists on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, not on the holiday, which makes it an easy second race. It starts at the Credit One gravel lot at 161 Seven Farms Drive. Registration has been listed as free, and registered participants have been offered a post-race drink at LIDI Restaurant. Confirm the start time on the official page, because third-party listings disagree with it.

The meal: where to eat on Thanksgiving in Charleston

Three places confirmed Thanksgiving service on their own sites for this year; all are downtown. Book early, and read each page yourself, because menus and prices are set year by year. For everyday picks, see where to eat in Charleston.

3. Sorelle, Broad Street

Sorelle, at 88 Broad Street in downtown Charleston, runs two Thanksgiving options on its own website: a family-style, multi-course Italian-leaning dinner in the dining room, and a take-home Thanksgiving at Home meal in two sizes. The take-home menu is built around a roasted heritage turkey with sides such as a sausage-and-rapini stuffing and a cranberry mostarda, and ends with pumpkin pie. Book the dinner through the restaurant's reservation link or by email, order the take-home meal through the Order Now button on its page, and check for deadlines and pickup details, which weren't listed when we looked. Official site: sorellecharleston.com.

4. Church and Union, Market Street

Church and Union, at 32b North Market Street in downtown Charleston, lists a three-course Thanksgiving Day prix-fixe on its own site, with roasted turkey among the entrée choices and pecan pie tart among the desserts, and a note that the regular menu is not offered that day. Family-style sides are sold separately. Menus change year to year, so confirm the details when you book. Official site: Church and Union.

5. Gabrielle, Hotel Bennett, King Street

Hotel Bennett, at 404 King Street in Charleston's Upper King district, lists a Thanksgiving dinner at its restaurant Gabrielle and a Thanksgiving brunch buffet in the Crown Ballroom on its event calendar. The calendar gave no menu or price, so call or check the hotel's event calendar before you plan around it.

A local tip: if you only need dessert or a side and not a full production, a take-home meal from a restaurant like Sorelle can feed a small table without a day of cooking. Charleston's smaller restaurants also tend to sell out of holiday orders well ahead of the day, so ask early.

The long weekend: lights, markets and the start of the season

The weekend after Thanksgiving is when Charleston flips into holiday mode, and the anchor is a drive-through light show.

6. Holiday Festival of Lights, James Island County Park

The Holiday Festival of Lights is Charleston County Parks' drive-through light display at James Island County Park, on James Island in Charleston. Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) opens it in November and runs it nightly through New Year's Eve, so it is already running by Thanksgiving. You drive a three-mile route past more than 750 light displays. Admission is charged per vehicle, with prices that change by night: each night is color-coded by expected crowds, green nights are cheapest, red nights are busiest, and buying online ahead costs less than paying at the gate. Check the color calendar on the official ticket site and pick a green night if you can. Official announcement: CCPRC.

What comes next

The City of Charleston Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting at Marion Square follows in early December. For a month-by-month view of what returns each year, see annual events in Charleston, and for budget ideas, free things to do in Charleston. Travelling with kids? Start with the family day guide.

Give back: volunteering around Thanksgiving

The Lowcountry Food Bank takes volunteers year-round, and Thanksgiving week is a natural time to sign up.

7. Lowcountry Food Bank, Azalea Drive

The Lowcountry Food Bank's Charleston center at 2864 Azalea Drive lists volunteer shifts Tuesday through Friday and on the first and third Saturday of the month, with sign-up online. Its volunteer page didn't mention Thanksgiving specifically, so check availability for the holiday week early. Official page: Lowcountry Food Bank volunteering.

If you want to help on Thursday itself, the Turkey Day Run accepts volunteers through its RunSignup page: the simplest way to be useful in the morning and still be home for dinner.

What is open and closed on Thanksgiving Day?

Expect most attractions to close. The Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, at 122 East Bay Street, says on its official site that it is closed on Thanksgiving Day, along with New Year's Day and Christmas Day. We could not confirm CARTA bus service for the holiday on the CARTA site, so call (843) 724-7420 or check ridecarta.com before you rely on it. Check each museum or tour operator before you go, and use the weather page for coastal flooding, which can close downtown streets.

This year's dates

These come from official sites and may change, so confirm before you go.

• Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 26, 2026.
• Turkey Day Run & Gobble Wobble 5K: expo on Wednesday, November 25, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 5K at 9:00 a.m. on November 26; children's run at 10:30 a.m.
• Daniel Island Turkey Trot: Saturday, November 21, 2026, 10:00 a.m. per the official RunSignup page.
• Holiday Festival of Lights: nightly November 13 through December 31, 2026, 5:30 to 10 p.m. Per-vehicle prices on CCPRC's page: green nights $15 online and $25 at the gate, yellow nights $25 and $35, red nights $30 and $45.
• Sorelle: dine-in on November 26, listed 12 to 8 p.m. at $125 per adult and $50 per child plus tax and gratuity; take-home meals listed at $196 for two and $392 for four.
• Church and Union: Thanksgiving Day prix-fixe listed 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at $80 per person and $35 for children 12 and under.
• Hotel Bennett: Thanksgiving at Gabrielle listed 3 to 9 p.m. on November 26.

How we chose

We included only things that an official site or official social page showed as operating, in the City of Charleston or on James Island and Daniel Island. We dropped restaurants whose own pages we couldn't read or that had closed, and anything that existed only in older listings. We found no official Thanksgiving Day parade, so we didn't invent one.

Save this: the Charleston Thanksgiving checklist

1. Wednesday: pick up your Turkey Day Run packet at the expo.
2. Thursday morning: run or walk the 5K from Marion Square, or volunteer there.
3. Thursday afternoon: dinner at a restaurant that confirmed service, or pick up a take-home meal you ordered ahead.
4. Thursday night: drive through the Festival of Lights on James Island, ideally on a green night.
5. Weekend: sign up for a Lowcountry Food Bank shift and plan for the early-December parade and tree lighting.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Thanksgiving Day parade in Charleston, SC?

No Thanksgiving Day parade turned up on the City of Charleston's holiday notices. The City of Charleston Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting is usually held in early December and ends at Marion Square.

What time is the Turkey Day Run in Charleston?

The Turkey Day Run & Gobble Wobble 5K starts at Marion Square, and its official site lists the 5K at 9:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. The children's run follows at 10:30 a.m.

Where can I eat Thanksgiving dinner in Charleston?

Sorelle on Broad Street, Church and Union on North Market Street and Gabrielle at Hotel Bennett on King Street each list Thanksgiving service on their own sites. Reserve early and confirm the current menu and price.

Can I get a take-home Thanksgiving meal in Charleston?

Yes. Sorelle at 88 Broad Street lists a Thanksgiving at Home meal in two sizes on its official site. Check the page for order deadlines and pickup details.

Are Charleston attractions open on Thanksgiving?

Many are closed. The Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon says on its official site that it is closed on Thanksgiving Day, so check each attraction before you go.

When does the Holiday Festival of Lights start in Charleston?

The Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park opens in November and runs nightly through New Year's Eve. This year's run is November 13 through December 31, 5:30 to 10 p.m. per Charleston County Parks.