Thanksgiving in Chicago: Parade, Turkey Trots and Dinner

At a glance

• Where: Chicago, Illinois: Loop, Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Magnificent Mile, West Loop
• When: Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November, plus the long weekend
• Parade: Usually Thanksgiving morning on State Street; confirm the time on the official site
• Turkey trots: Usually a 9 a.m. start in Lincoln Park and at DuSable Harbor
• Closed on the day: Navy Pier and the Field Museum; Lincoln Park Zoo is open

Thanksgiving in Chicago starts with the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade on State Street in the Loop, usually on Thanksgiving morning, and the turkey trots in Lincoln Park and along the lakefront, which usually start at 9 a.m. The meal comes next, then a long weekend that opens the holiday season with the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, ZooLights and the downtown tree and market traditions. This guide groups the plan by when things happen and tells you what is closed on the day.

Dates move every year, so the evergreen sections describe the usual timing. The one place with exact dates is the “This year's dates” section near the end.

What happens Thursday morning?

The morning has two choices: run or walk a 5K, or watch the parade. Both finish by late morning, so you can do the early race and still be home for dinner.

Life Time Turkey Trot Chicago (Lincoln Park)

The Life Time Turkey Trot Chicago starts at 2601 N. Cannon Drive in Lincoln Park, just south of Diversey, with a 5K and an 8K. Its athlete guide lists corrals opening at 8 a.m. and the races starting at 9 a.m., though the organizer notes that event details are subject to change. The beneficiary is the Greater Chicago Food Depository, so your entry fee goes to the same food bank that supplies pantries across Cook County. Register ahead on the official site, turkeytrotchicago.com.

Chi Town Turkey Trot (DuSable Harbor)

The Chi Town Turkey Trot is the lakefront alternative, starting at DuSable Harbor near 111 N. Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive. It offers a 5K and a 10K at 9 a.m., with a Kids Dash at 8:45 a.m., according to organizer All Community Events. The charity is Mane in Heaven, which runs miniature-horse therapy visits. If you want a smaller start line than Lincoln Park, this is the one. Walkers are fine here too: the organizer lists a time limit of 1 hour 20 minutes for the 5K and 1 hour 50 minutes for the 10K, so a relaxed family pace finishes comfortably. Details are at allcommunityevents.com/chitownturkeytrot.

Chicago Thanksgiving Parade (State Street, the Loop)

The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade marches north on State Street in the Loop, usually between Ida B. Wells Drive and Randolph Street on Thanksgiving morning; the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) reroutes several Loop bus routes around it, so take the train downtown. Published start times have varied between sources, so confirm the step-off time on the parade's official site, chicagothanksgivingparade.com, before you leave home. Arrive early, dress for the lake wind and check the forecast.

Where do you eat Thanksgiving dinner?

Several Chicago restaurants publish Thanksgiving dinner or take-home meals on their own sites, and take-home orders close days ahead. Verify the current menu, price and deadline with each place.

Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (Gold Coast)

Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse at 1028 N. Rush Street in the Gold Coast lists a Thanksgiving dinner on its Chicago page: a three-course meal of lobster bisque, roasted turkey breast with house-made cranberry sauce, candied yams, green beans almondine, seasonal stuffing and pumpkin pie. The page also mentions a limited a la carte menu plus delivery and carryout. Book through the OpenTable link on that page or call the reservations line it lists, 866-442-7664, and check the page for the current year's price. Holiday tables at a Rush Street steakhouse go early, so this is one to book as soon as your headcount is settled.

Publican Quality Meats (West Loop)

Publican Quality Meats at 825 W. Fulton Market in the West Loop sells a take-home Thanksgiving through an online order page: whole turkeys, a half ham, a sides pack and pies, with scheduled pickup in the days before the holiday at 837 W. Fulton Market, a few doors from the shop, and delivery inside Chicago. Orders close days before Thanksgiving, so this is the one to book early. Exact dates are in the “This year's dates” section and on the official order page.

For more places to eat, browse the food and dining listings. Not every restaurant that serves Thanksgiving dinner posts it on its website, so call ahead.

What should you do the long weekend?

The days after Thanksgiving are when Chicago switches into holiday mode, and the kickoff events usually cluster in the week around the holiday.

Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival

The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival lights the trees along North Michigan Avenue in the Magnificent Mile district and is usually held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, which makes it the real start of the shopping season. The official page describes a daytime Lights Festival Lane at Pioneer Court, a parade starting from Oak Street and Michigan Avenue, and fireworks over the Chicago River. See themagnificentmile.com/Lights-Festival.

ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo

ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo is a ticketed evening light display, running from just before Thanksgiving into the new year, typically 4:30 to 9 p.m. with last entry at 8 p.m. The zoo's page lists free Monday reservations on most Mondays, and fixed-date tickets cost less bought in advance than on the night, so buy ahead if you are going on a weekend. One quirk worth knowing: ZooLights is closed on Thanksgiving Day itself, even though the zoo is not. The official page is lpzoo.org/event/zoolights.

Lincoln Park Zoo on the day

Lincoln Park Zoo, at 2400 N. Cannon Drive, says it is open 365 days a year with always-free entry, typically 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. That makes it the reliable Thanksgiving afternoon outing, right next to the Turkey Trot start line. Buildings and Farm-in-the-Zoo close a half hour earlier. Check lpzoo.org for the day's hours.

Tree lighting and Christkindlmarket

The City of Chicago's Christmas tree lighting and the Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza in the Loop usually arrive in the days around Thanksgiving. Check the dates each year on the City of Chicago tree page and at christkindlmarket.com.

What is open or closed on Thanksgiving Day?

Most big attractions close on Thanksgiving, so plan the afternoon around parks and the zoo.

• Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Avenue, Streeterville): its hours page lists Thanksgiving as closed. See navypier.org.
• Field Museum (1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive): its site lists closures on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. It reopens the day after Thanksgiving, typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entry at 4 p.m., which makes it our pick for a rainy Black Friday away from the stores.
• Lincoln Park Zoo: open, free.
• CTA trains and buses: running, but on a Sunday schedule. CTA route schedules state that Sunday service applies on Thanksgiving, so expect longer waits. Check alerts at transitchicago.com.

Always check an attraction's own site, since holiday hours change.

Can you volunteer for Thanksgiving?

Yes: the simplest route is through the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which is the beneficiary of the Life Time Turkey Trot. The Greater Chicago Food Depository's warehouse is at 4100 W. Ann Lurie Place on Chicago's Southwest Side, and every volunteer must register for a session in advance, since walk-ins are not accepted. Holiday-week sessions fill fast, so book through chicagosfoodbank.org as soon as you know your plans. Turkey Trot volunteers also sign up through the race's own site.

This year's dates

Thanksgiving Day 2026 is Thursday, November 26. These dates come from the official pages named above.

• Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26: Life Time Turkey Trot Chicago (corrals 8 a.m., start 9 a.m.) and Chi Town Turkey Trot (Kids Dash 8:45 a.m., 5K and 10K 9 a.m.). The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade is also listed for this date; confirm its time on its official site.
• Nov. 20: ZooLights begins (through Jan. 3, 2027, closed Nov. 26 and a few other dates). Fixed-date tickets are listed at $7 to $12 in advance and $20 on the day, with free reservations on Mondays Nov. 23 and 30.
• Nov. 21: Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, Lights Festival Lane from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., parade at 5:30 p.m.
• Publican Quality Meats: its 2026 take-home orders close Wednesday, Nov. 18, with pickup and delivery Nov. 23 to 25.

How we chose

We looked for Chicago events and places that return each year and that publish Thanksgiving details on their own sites. Every pick was checked against its own official page: the two turkey trots, the Lights Festival, ZooLights, Lincoln Park Zoo, Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse and Publican Quality Meats. Restaurants that did not post a Thanksgiving offer on their own site were left out.

Your Thanksgiving week checklist

1. Register for a turkey trot before race week.
2. Order take-home Thanksgiving food early; deadlines can fall a week or more ahead.
3. Thursday morning: trot or parade, then dinner.
4. Thursday afternoon: Lincoln Park Zoo (free). Navy Pier and the Field Museum are closed.
5. The Saturday before Thanksgiving: Magnificent Mile Lights Festival.
6. Check the events calendar for what is on this weekend.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What time is the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade?

The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade usually runs on Thanksgiving morning on State Street in the Loop. Published start times have varied between sources, so confirm the current time at chicagothanksgivingparade.com.

Are there turkey trots in Chicago?

Yes. The Life Time Turkey Trot Chicago starts in Lincoln Park at 2601 N. Cannon Drive and benefits the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The Chi Town Turkey Trot starts at DuSable Harbor on the lakefront.

Is Lincoln Park Zoo open on Thanksgiving?

Yes. Lincoln Park Zoo says it is open 365 days a year with always-free entry. ZooLights, its evening light show, is closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Is Navy Pier open on Thanksgiving?

No. Navy Pier's hours page lists Thanksgiving Day as closed. The Field Museum also closes on Thanksgiving.

Where can I get a Thanksgiving meal to go in Chicago?

Publican Quality Meats in the West Loop sells take-home Thanksgiving turkeys, sides and pies by advance order, and Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse lists carryout on its Thanksgiving menu. Order early, since deadlines fall days before the holiday.

When does the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival happen?

The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is usually held the Saturday before Thanksgiving on North Michigan Avenue, with a parade and fireworks over the Chicago River.