Emerald Coast turkey trots 2026: Sandestin, Rosemary Beach and Panama City races

Three Emerald Coast turkey trots have posted their 2026 details, and two of them run on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, Nov. 26: the 30A 10K Thanksgiving Day Races in Rosemary Beach and the Gulf Coast State College Athletics 5K Turkey Trot in Panama City. The Sandestin Turkey Trot runs four days earlier, on Sunday, Nov. 22, at Baytowne Marina in Miramar Beach. Dates, start times and prices below come from each organizer’s registration page as of Nov. 2, 2026.

All three races take online registration, and two of them have prices that rise as race day gets closer, so the cheapest entry is the earliest one.

Which Emerald Coast turkey trots are on Thanksgiving morning?

Two races start on Thanksgiving Day itself: the 30A 10K at 7:30 a.m. in Rosemary Beach, in Walton County, and the Gulf Coast State College 5K at 8 a.m. in Panama City, in Bay County. The Sandestin race is the Sunday before Thanksgiving, which works for families who travel on Thursday or who want a race before the holiday cooking starts.

When does the 30A 10K start in Rosemary Beach?

The 10K starts at 7:30 a.m. on East Water Street in Rosemary Beach, which is also the finish, according to the organizer registration page. A 1-mile fun run starts five minutes later, at 7:35 a.m., and a 5K starts at 9:30 a.m., so runners and walkers of different speeds can pick a distance and still be done before midmorning.

The 10K and the 5K cost from $95; the early price ended Oct. 30. The 1-mile fun run costs $45, and its registration closes Tuesday, Nov. 24, two days before the race. The organizer lists four beneficiaries: Children in Crisis, Bailey Brigade, the Children’s Volunteer Health Network and Habitat for Humanity of Walton County.

What does the Sandestin Turkey Trot cost?

The Sandestin Turkey Trot costs $50, or $40 for military members and runners 17 and under, according to the Sandestin Turkey Trot page. The 5K starts at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22, at Baytowne Marina inside Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Miramar Beach. A 1-mile walk starts earlier, at 7 a.m.

Because it is the only one of the three that is not on Thanksgiving Day, it is also the only Emerald Coast turkey trot that does not compete with the holiday meal for time.

Is there a turkey trot in Panama City on Thanksgiving?

Yes. The Gulf Coast State College Athletics 5K Turkey Trot starts at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 26, at Frazier Field on the college campus, 5230 W. Highway 98, in Panama City, according to the organizer registration page. A fun run follows at 9 a.m.

Entry costs $25 for ages 17 and older and $20 for ages 16 and under, and the organizer lists a higher price after mid-November. The race benefits Gulf Coast State College Athletics. It is the lowest-priced of the three Emerald Coast races and the only one in Bay County with a published 2026 page.

Are there turkey trots in Destin, Fort Walton Beach or Panama City Beach?

As of Nov. 2, 2026, no turkey trot in Destin, Fort Walton Beach or Panama City Beach had published 2026 dates, times and prices on an organizer page. Races are added to the Thanksgiving guide only when the organizer posts those three details, so a race that shows up later will appear there with its own link.

What else is closed on Thanksgiving race morning?

Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday, so post offices and federal offices close on Thursday, Nov. 26, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Florida state offices close both Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26-27, under Florida Statutes section 110.117, which lists Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after as paid holidays.

In Santa Rosa County, Waste Pro does not pick up garbage, yard trash or recycling on Thanksgiving Day, and every route runs one day behind for the rest of the week, according to its 2026 holiday schedule. In Bay County, Tax Collector offices are closed Thursday and Friday.

How do I sign up?

Each race takes registration on its own page, linked above and in the sources below. The 30A fun run closes registration Nov. 24. The Gulf Coast State College race raises its price after mid-November. The Sandestin race lists a lower price for military members and runners 17 and under.

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