Thanksgiving in Nashville: Turkey Trots, Meals and Lights

At a glance

• Where: Nashville, Tennessee: Nissan Stadium, Two Rivers Parkway, Downtown, Bellevue and Cheekwood
• When: Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday of November) and the long weekend after
• Parade: We found no official Thanksgiving Day parade in Nashville; the morning belongs to the turkey trots
• Getting around: WeGo Public Transit runs its Sunday/holiday schedule on Thanksgiving Day; check the official site

Thanksgiving in Nashville is built around two Thanksgiving-morning turkey trots, a handful of restaurants that sell take-home feasts, and a long weekend when the holiday light displays and the Christmas Village open. We found no official Thanksgiving Day parade in Nashville, Tennessee, so the morning is for running, volunteering or sleeping in. This guide groups the picks by when they happen: Thursday morning, the meal, then the long weekend.

Every pick below was checked against an official page. Dates that change each year are kept in one section near the end, so the rest of this page stays true from one November to the next.

How we chose

We kept only things that return every year, sit inside Nashville and have an official page we could read. We left out anything we could only confirm through a third-party listing, a restaurant whose own site showed no Thanksgiving offering, and places outside the city (Mere Bulles, for example, offers a Thanksgiving menu but sits in Brentwood). Hours, prices and order deadlines change, so treat everything here as typical and confirm on the official site before you go.

Thursday morning: where can you run a turkey trot in Nashville?

Nashville has two Thanksgiving-morning races that run every year, both starting around 8 a.m. Pick by location and distance: one is a stadium 5K near downtown, the other adds a 10-mile option by the Cumberland River.

1. Music City Turkey Trot, Nissan Stadium (East Bank)

The Music City Turkey Trot is organized by Run Nash and centers on Nissan Stadium, across the river from Lower Broadway. It offers a 5K and a short 1-Mile Waddle, and packet pickup happens early on race morning. It is the easier one to fold into a day with family, since the shorter option suits kids and strollers. Details come from Visit Music City, the city’s tourism bureau; Run Nash’s own registration page is the place to confirm times. See Downtown for where to park and eat afterward.

2. Nashville Turkey Trot 10 Mile and 5K, Wave Country (Two Rivers Parkway)

This race starts at Wave Country, 2320 Two Rivers Parkway, Nashville, TN 37214, and offers a 10-mile run alongside the 5K, plus a kids dash. It is the pick if you want a real distance instead of a fun run. The organizer’s page lists packet pickup and start times each year, and registration closes a few days before Thanksgiving.

The meal: where can you get Thanksgiving dinner in Nashville?

Two Nashville spots confirm Thanksgiving packages on their own sites. Both lean on pickup rather than a table, which is how many locals do the holiday anyway.

3. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint, Downtown

Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint, 410 4th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37201, sells cold-pickup holiday packages built around turkey or ham in three sizes, from a small gathering up to a larger feast. The pickup window runs for several days around the holiday, and the restaurant itself is closed on Thanksgiving Day, which is the detail to plan around: pick up a day or two before and reheat at home. Martin’s is known for whole-hog barbecue, so the package is the move if you want a pitmaster’s take on the holiday table.

4. Loveless Cafe, Highway 100 (west Nashville)

Loveless Cafe, 8400 Highway 100, Nashville, TN 37221, sells Thanksgiving meal packs for pre-order and lets you choose your pickup date and time when you order. Pickup is at the Barn circle, and the cafe’s pre-order page names a last day for changes or refunds, so order early. The cafe is west of town toward the Natchez Trace, which makes it a drive, but the package is the one with a clear ordering page. For other restaurant ideas, browse Nashville food and dining.

Neither of these sells a table on Thanksgiving Day. If you want a sit-down meal on the day itself, book a hotel restaurant early and confirm directly, because we could not verify any from official pages.

Ways to give back: how can you volunteer on Thanksgiving in Nashville?

Two official organizations take volunteers, and both fill up, so sign up weeks ahead.

5. Nashville Rescue Mission

The Nashville Rescue Mission runs its Men’s Center at 639 Lafayette Street, Nashville, TN 37203, and its Women’s Center at 1716 Rosa Parks Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37208. Volunteers sign up through the mission’s Volunteer Hub; the minimum age is 10, and the Women’s Center requires a background check. The mission also runs a holiday turkey drive. Its website did not describe a Thanksgiving banquet when we checked, so call 615-255-2475 to ask what the holiday schedule looks like.

6. Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee

Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee is based at 331 Great Circle Road, Nashville, TN 37228, and lists volunteering under Get Involved on its website. Its holiday campaign says every dollar provides four meals, which makes a donation a fair swap if your schedule is too packed to sort boxes.

The long weekend: what opens the holiday season?

The weekend after Thanksgiving is when Nashville flips to Christmas, and two long-running traditions anchor it.

7. Christmas Village, The Fairgrounds Nashville

Christmas Village is a shopping market at The Fairgrounds Nashville that its official site describes as more than 60 years old. It runs over a November weekend and can finish before Thanksgiving week even begins, so treat it as the warm-up to the long weekend and check the official site for the year’s dates and ticketing. The market is a gift run with a purpose: its site frames the event around shopping and giving.

8. Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens, 1200 Forrest Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37205, lists Holiday LIGHTS on its events page, running from just before Thanksgiving through the first days of January. It is an evening event in the gardens, so dress for the weather; see our Nashville weather guide for what late November usually feels like.

What is open and closed on Thanksgiving Day?

Plan the day around less service than usual. Two officially confirmed details help.

• WeGo Public Transit runs its Sunday/holiday schedule on Thanksgiving Day and its normal weekday schedule the day after. Check the official WeGo holiday-schedules page for routes and times.
• Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37208, is closed on Thanksgiving. The museum is also closed Mondays, and admission is free on the days it is open, which makes it a good Friday or Saturday plan for out-of-town guests.

For other attractions, assume nothing and check the official site. Our broader things to do in Nashville guide covers year-round options.

This year’s dates

Thanksgiving Day 2026 is Thursday, November 26. These dates come from the official pages named in our sources and can change.

• Music City Turkey Trot: Thursday, November 26. Packet pickup is 7:00 to 7:50 a.m., the 5K starts at 8:00 a.m. and the 1-Mile Waddle at 8:10 a.m. (Visit Music City press release).
• Nashville Turkey Trot 10 Mile and 5K: Thursday, November 26. Packet pickup is 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., the Kids Dash is at 8:15 a.m., and the 5K and 10 Mile start at 8:30 a.m. Standard registration closes November 22.
• Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint: Package pickup runs Monday, November 23 through Sunday, November 29, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Thanksgiving Day. Packages are listed at $169.99 (serves 4 to 6), $219.99 (serves 10 to 12) and $289.99 (serves 12 to 15).
• Loveless Cafe: Thanksgiving meal packs are listed at $139.99, and the last day to make changes or get a refund is Sunday, November 15.
• Christmas Village: November 13 to 15.
• Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood: November 20, 2026 through January 3, 2027, with a Member Preview Night on November 19.
• Glow Wild at Nashville Zoo, 3777 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN 37211: nightly 5 to 9 p.m., November 13, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Check the zoo’s official site for whether it returns in future years.

What should you book before Thanksgiving week in Nashville?

Five things to lock in before the holiday, in order.

1. Register for a turkey trot (Run Nash for the stadium 5K, or the Wave Country race for 10 miles).
2. Order your Martin’s or Loveless package early; Martin’s is closed on Thanksgiving Day, so plan pickup for earlier in the week.
3. Sign up to volunteer with the Nashville Rescue Mission or Second Harvest.
4. Check the WeGo holiday schedule before you plan a bus ride.
5. Pencil in Friday or Saturday for Cheekwood Holiday LIGHTS and the rest of the season. Browse Nashville events for what else is on.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Thanksgiving Day parade in Nashville?

We found no official Thanksgiving Day parade in Nashville, Tennessee. Thanksgiving morning in Nashville belongs to the turkey trots at Nissan Stadium and Wave Country.

What time are the Nashville turkey trots?

Both major Nashville turkey trots start in the morning on Thanksgiving Day, with the Music City Turkey Trot 5K at Nissan Stadium typically at 8 a.m. and the Wave Country race at about 8:30 a.m. Confirm the times on each race’s registration page.

Can you buy a Thanksgiving meal to go in Nashville?

Yes. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint downtown and Loveless Cafe on Highway 100 both list Thanksgiving packages on their official sites. Order ahead, and note that Martin’s is closed on Thanksgiving Day itself.

Do Nashville buses run on Thanksgiving?

Yes, on a reduced schedule. WeGo Public Transit runs its Sunday/holiday schedule on Thanksgiving Day and its weekday schedule the day after.

Is the Tennessee State Museum open on Thanksgiving?

No. The Tennessee State Museum in Nashville is closed on Thanksgiving, and admission is free on the days it is open.

How can you volunteer on Thanksgiving in Nashville?

Sign up through the Nashville Rescue Mission’s Volunteer Hub or Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee’s Get Involved page. Both fill up ahead of the holiday, so register early.