Chester County Turkey Trot
About this race
The Chester County Turkey Trot is celebrating its 25th year and there's still nothing better than spending time with friends and family on Thanksgiving Day! We are excited to bring the community together once again for a fun social event and a great cause! Did you know that this race has helped to raise funds for childhood cancer research since 2012? Get a festive start to YOUR Thanksgiving morning at the Chester County Turkey Trot 5k Run/1mile Walk and help children facing a cancer diagnosis (through sponsorships and donations) through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF). The previous race beneficiary, Cure4Cam Childhood Cancer Foundation, has transitioned to The Cure4Cam Hero Fund through ALSF.
This annual Chester County Turkey Trot, what has become a great holiday tradition for locals and their holiday guests, will be held on Thanksgiving morning at Downingtown West High School! The event is a 5k race (2 Waves* - see note below), 2K walk, and a kids’ fun run. There's no better way to start this festive morning!! Historically, this race has gotten an impressive turnout of about 3,000 registered runners and we anticipate a break crowd of both seasoned trotters and new friends this year.
*Please note that any runners with a projected finish time of less than 25 minutes are encouraged to register for the Gold Wave! More than 25 minutes - the Blue Wave is for you!
For course map, click here.
TIME SCHEDULE:
- 7:40 AM Gold Wave 5k (Sub 25 Minutes 5k Cut-Off)
- 8:15 AM Blue Wave 5K Race
- 8:15 AM 2K Walk
- 9:00 AM Kids' Run on the Track Presented by Track Stars Youth Programs
- 9:15-9:30 AM Awards Ceremonies (Gold Wave/Blue Wave)
Technical running shirts are guaranteed to the first 2,000 registered runners! (No T-shirts for free Kids’ Run)
WALKERS - Please consider the 2k walk instead of the 5k Race as the course will be very crowded.
** No need to switch your event online, just start with the walkers inside the stadium. **
STROLLERS - due to the high number of participants we are strongly discouraging the use of Strollers and Baby joggers in the BLUE WAVE.
(No Strollers or Baby Joggers are allowed in the GOLD wave)
DOGS? We love our furry friends! Unfortunately, due to the crowds, no pets are allowed at the event. Thanks for understanding.
In addition to supporting the Downingtown West Cross Country team, proceeds of the race will benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Information on the Cure4Cam Hero Fund through ALSF is available here. The Cure4Cam Hero Fund is in memory of Cameron Evans, a Downingtown West teammate and friend who finished his race with leukemia in May 2012. Cameron was a gifted athlete and a compassionate, positive, and inspiring young man. His perseverance and spirit touched all of us.
AWARDS & RESULTS
Prize Money and Pies will all be available at the Prize Table following the conclusion of each race (located inside the stadium)
Prizes include:
GOLD WAVE * cash prizes only apply to Gold Wave runners
Top 5 Male and Female ($250, $150, $100, $75, $50)
Top Masters Male and Female ($125)
Top 3 Each Age Group: Terrific Thanksgiving Pies!!!
(14 and under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80+)
** All Monetary Awards must be verified and signed for at the awards table.
BLUE WAVE
Top 3 Each Age Group: Terrific Thanksgiving Pies!!!
(8 and under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80
Pick your distance
Running
Gold Wave 5k Run
This wave is for faster runners with an expected time of under 25 minutes
Blue Wave 5k Run
Run with family or friends, share the morning and enjoy our community on Thanksgiving Morning! This wave is for runners with an expected time over 25 minutes.
Walking
2K Walk
Get together with family, friends, or co-workers to for some relaxing social time and burn some calories before the feast!
Typical race-day weather
Based on 11 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Downingtown, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 7:00 AM and sets at 4:39 PM local time (EST) in Downingtown on November 26, 2026 — 9h 39m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
Reviews
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Results — Chester County Turkey Trot
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🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Downingtown
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Downingtown 5K Races 10 races
- Downingtown Running Calendar 2026 17 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 19 Downingtown events
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