Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday November 26. The Turkey Day Run starts downtown at 9 a.m., the Holiday Festival of Lights runs nightly from November 13, and Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie close all day. Several restaurants have published 2026 plans. Others still show last year's information, so check the year before booking.
Thanksgiving pages can be updated at different times, so check the year before relying on a menu, a price or a holiday schedule. Some Charleston restaurants have their 2026 details up already. Others still show last November.
Here is what could be confirmed from official sources on October 7, 2026, and what still needs a phone call.
When Is Thanksgiving in Charleston in 2026?
Thursday November 26, 2026. The long weekend runs through Sunday November 29.
Two things anchor that date. The Turkey Day Run, Charleston's 49th annual Thanksgiving morning race, is scheduled for that morning. And the Holiday Festival of Lights opens on November 13, so it is already underway by the time Thanksgiving weekend arrives.
What Is Actually Open on Thanksgiving Day?
Several Thanksgiving events and dining options are confirmed, one major attraction is confirmed closed, and other businesses still vary. Here is the state of it.
| Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2026 | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey Day Run and Gobble Wobble 5K | OPEN. 49th annual. 5K run and walk wave start at 9 a.m., all participants in their assigned corrals by 8:30 a.m., Kids Fun Run at 10:30 a.m., starting downtown | Official race registration |
| Holiday Festival of Lights | OPEN. Nightly 5:30 to 10 p.m., November 13 through December 31 | Charleston County Parks |
| Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park | CLOSED. All park sites close on Thanksgiving Day | National Park Service |
| Restaurants and hotel dining rooms | MIXED. Three venues verified with confirmed 2026 details. Others publish no year, or still show 2025 | Checked October 7, 2026 |
| Shops, markets and other attractions | VARIES. Thanksgiving hours differ by business. Check each attraction or business directly | Not verified individually |
Which Restaurants Have Published Thanksgiving 2026 Plans?
Several have. Three were verified individually on October 7, 2026, each on the venue's own site or on the visitor bureau's dated event entry.
Sorelle publishes a Thanksgiving at Home menu in two sizes, Grande at $392 serving four and Piccolo at $196 serving two. The menu runs from prosciutto di Parma with buffalo burrata through an olive oil roasted heritage turkey to pumpkin pie. The page prints no year, no order deadline and no pickup time, so confirm all three when you order.
The Restaurant at Middleton Place has published its 2026 Thanksgiving buffet. The Middleton Place Foundation's own events page lists Thursday November 26, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at $119 for adults and $50 for children ages five to twelve, with ages four and under free. Foundation members and Inn guests receive special pricing.
Gabrielle at Hotel Bennett has a dated 2026 listing: November 26, 2026, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., a prix fixe holiday menu at $115 for adults twelve and over and $65 for children twelve and under, at 404 King Street. Hotel Bennett's own calendar lists a second Thanksgiving service the same day, a brunch in the Crown Ballroom, with no price published yet.
Where to look for the rest. The Charleston Area CVB publishes two different things. Its Thanksgiving dining roundup names a long list of restaurants but attaches no date, time or price to any of them, and it tells readers to contact all restaurants directly for current availability. Its event calendar is more useful, because individual entries there do carry November 26, 2026 dates and prices. Start with the event calendar rather than the roundup, and confirm with the venue either way.
What Is the Turkey Day Run, and Will It Affect You?
A 5K run and walk on Thanksgiving morning that starts downtown, and it may affect you if you are staying on the peninsula.
The 2026 race is the 49th annual. The 5K run and walk wave start is at 9 a.m., all participants must be in their assigned corrals by 8:30 a.m., and a Kids Fun Run follows at 10:30 a.m. A virtual 5K runs alongside the in-person race. It starts in downtown Charleston and raises money for local charities.
The practical part: the City of Charleston typically publishes road closure information ahead of the race. If you are staying downtown and plan to drive on Thursday morning, check the city's latest notice before you set off. Our guest guide to downtown parking covers where to leave a car the rest of the weekend.
Is a Rental With a Kitchen Worth It for Thanksgiving?
It gives a group another option if you prefer to prepare Thanksgiving dinner at the rental rather than dine out.
118 President as the entire home has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, two kitchens and six off-street parking spaces, and sleeps sixteen. Two kitchens is the unusual part, and it is the detail that matters when several dishes need an oven at once.
One thing to know before booking any group home for a holiday. The property page prohibits parties and states that violating the rule can result in immediate eviction.
How Should You Plan the Week?
Work backwards from the Thursday. Four things are worth doing in advance.
- Check the year on the restaurant page. If a Thanksgiving page still shows 2025, do not assume those details apply to 2026. Holiday pages are updated at different times.
- Check the road closures. The city typically publishes them ahead of the Turkey Day Run. If you are downtown on Thursday morning, look up the latest notice before you drive.
- Choose your Festival of Lights night. The event runs nightly from November 13 through December 31, so you have multiple opportunities during a Thanksgiving stay.
- Confirm by phone or the restaurant's own booking system. Not from a roundup, and not from a listing that does not show a year.
FAQs
Thursday November 26, 2026. The Turkey Day Run confirms the date, since the 49th annual race is scheduled for that morning. Thanksgiving always falls on the fourth Thursday of November, so the weekend that follows runs from November 27 to November 29.
The Turkey Day Run runs in the morning, the Holiday Festival of Lights runs in the evening, and several restaurants and venues have published Thanksgiving dining plans. Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie are closed all day. Check individual businesses for their latest holiday hours.
Yes, several. Sorelle publishes a Thanksgiving at Home menu at $392 serving four and $196 serving two. The Restaurant at Middleton Place lists a November 26 buffet at $119 for adults and $50 for children ages five to twelve. Confirm the final menu and price with the restaurant.
A 5K run and walk on Thanksgiving morning, the 49th annual in 2026. The wave start is 9 a.m. with corrals filled by 8:30, and a Kids Fun Run follows at 10:30. A virtual option exists. The city typically publishes road closures beforehand.
It gives a group another option if you prefer to prepare Thanksgiving dinner at the rental rather than dine out. 118 President as the entire home has six bedrooms, two kitchens and six parking spaces, and sleeps sixteen. The property page prohibits parties.
Planning Thanksgiving in Charleston?
Tell us your dates and how many people are coming, and whether you want a kitchen you can cook a holiday dinner in. We will tell you which homes are open that week and what the minimum stay is.
Check availability or call 843.329.2040 or email bookings@chcvacationrentals.com