Thanksgiving in Mooresville 2026: Turkey Trot and trash

This page is updated each year at the same address. Last checked Oct. 26, 2026. Facts come from the Town of Mooresville’s 2026 sanitation holiday schedule, the Mooresville Graded School District’s 2026-27 calendar, the Turkey Trot’s registration page and the Mooresville Downtown Commission’s 2026 events page.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. In Mooresville, the day starts with the Turkey Trot 5K on North Main Street at 9 a.m. Thursday trash and recycling routes run a day late, and Mooresville Graded School District students are out Wednesday through Friday. The Christmas parade comes first this year, on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

Updated Oct. 26: Turkey Trot fees added. The 5K is $40 until 11:59 p.m. Oct. 31, when the price goes up, and a T-shirt is guaranteed only for runners registered by Nov. 8.

Thanksgiving week at a glance

• Tuesday, Nov. 24: MGSD early release; Christmas parade on Main Street from 3 p.m. (closures from noon)
• Wednesday, Nov. 25, to Friday, Nov. 27: no school for MGSD students
• Thursday, Nov. 26: Turkey Trot 5K, 9 a.m.; Thursday trash and recycling move to Friday
• Friday, Nov. 27: Plaid Friday downtown, sip and shop 10 a.m. to noon
• Saturday, Nov. 28: Small Business Saturday downtown

Trash and recycling

The Town of Mooresville’s 2026 holiday schedule gives a one-day delay for Thursday garbage and recycling on Thanksgiving. If your pickup day is Thursday, put the carts out for Friday, Nov. 27. The schedule lists no change for Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday routes. The town sends schedule changes through its Blackboard Connect calls and posts them on its website and social media. More in our trash and recycling guide.

Schools

From MGSD’s 2026-27 student calendar:

The district says any day can change if school is missed for bad weather. Students in the Iredell-Statesville Schools follow that district’s calendar. See our schools guide.

Turkey Trot 5K: Thursday, Nov. 26

The 16th annual Mooresville/Lake Norman Turkey Trot starts and finishes at The Christian Mission, 919 N. Main St. All proceeds go to the mission’s food, clothing, housing help and education programs, according to the race page.

• 8 a.m.: arrival, race-day registration and packet pickup
• 8:30 a.m.: Kids Fun Run, half a mile, for ages 10 and under
• 9 a.m.: the 5K, for runners and walkers

Registration for the 5K is $40 until 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, when the price rises; the Kids Fun Run is $15. T-shirts are guaranteed only for runners registered by Nov. 8. Race-day registration and packet pickup close promptly at 8:30 a.m.

Early packet pickup is at The Christian Mission, and the first 500 runners to collect early get a free swag bag:

• Monday, Nov. 23: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Nov. 24: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 25: 9 a.m. to noon

Volunteers can sign up on the race page too.

Community meals

We did not find a public Thanksgiving community dinner on the town’s or the county’s calendars when we checked. Churches and nonprofits usually announce theirs in November. Hosting one? Tell us through our contact page and we will list it here.

Shopping the weekend after

Downtown Mooresville’s independent stores hold Plaid Friday on Nov. 27, with a sip and shop from 10 a.m. to noon, and Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28, the Mooresville Downtown Commission says. Store hours, markets and parking are in our Black Friday and holiday shopping guide.

What this means for you

• Thursday trash customers: put carts out Friday.
• The Christmas parade is Tuesday afternoon; Main Street closes in sections from noon. See our Christmas parade guide.
• Register early for the Turkey Trot; race-day sign-up closes at 8:30 a.m.

More: holiday lights and Christmas events and things to do in Mooresville this month.

Frequently asked questions

Is there trash pickup in Mooresville on Thanksgiving?

Thursday garbage and recycling routes run one day late, on Friday, Nov. 27. The Town of Mooresville’s 2026 holiday schedule lists no change for other days.

When is Thanksgiving break for Mooresville Graded School District?

Students are out Wednesday, Nov. 25, through Friday, Nov. 27, 2026. Tuesday, Nov. 24, is an early release day, with high schools out at 11:20 a.m. and elementary schools at 12:40 p.m.

Is there a turkey trot in Mooresville?

Yes. The 16th annual Mooresville/Lake Norman Turkey Trot 5K starts at 9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, at The Christian Mission, 919 N. Main St. The Kids Fun Run for ages 10 and under starts at 8:30 a.m.

When is the Mooresville Christmas parade in 2026?

Tuesday, Nov. 24, two days before Thanksgiving. First responders lead off at 3 p.m., and Main Street begins closing at noon.