Last Thanksgiving, 103-year-old World War II veteran Eugene Metcalfe was set to ride at the front of the Fountain Hills parade in the lead "Command Jeep" with VFW Post 7507, the Fountain Hills Times reported. About two hours before that jeep turned onto the Avenue of the Fountains, the Turkey Trot runners had started their 5K on the same pavement. Last year the Town closed the downtown streets for both events together, from 4 a.m. to noon.
On Thursday, Nov. 26, the town does it again. Two organizations run the morning. The Town's Community Services department runs the 36th Annual Turkey Trot, and the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce runs the 42nd Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. They post separate schedules, but both events use the same blocks, the same closures and the same parking. Treat it as one five-hour event, and the most important deadline comes six days before the turkey.
The morning, by the clock
Put both events' published times in order and you get one timeline. Parade setup and the race run at the same time downtown.
- 4 a.m. Last year the downtown closures began at this hour. The Town hasn't posted its 2026 closure list yet, so treat this as the 2025 pattern.
- 7 a.m. Parade entries start arriving at the staging area.
- 7:15 a.m. The Turkey Trot starts on the Avenue of the Fountains just east of Verde River Drive, at 16701 E. Avenue of the Fountains, and the course runs around the fountain at Fountain Park.
- 8:15 a.m. The race awards ceremony starts near the start and finish line on the Avenue.
- 9 a.m. The fountain makes its first run of the day. It goes on every hour, on the hour, for 15 minutes, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- 9:30 a.m. The parade begins promptly.
- 10 a.m. The fountain's next scheduled run lands in the middle of the parade.
- About 10:45 a.m. The Chamber expects the parade to be wrapping up.
- Noon Last year's closure window ended at this hour.
So a family can run or walk the race, stay for the awards and still have more than an hour before the parade. Nobody needs to move the car, because the roads around the park stay closed the whole morning either way. The fountain has one condition. If winds in Fountain Park top 10 mph, the pump may shut off on its own or run below its normal height, so the 9 and 10 a.m. runs depend on the weather.
The deadline comes six days before the turkey
The parade costs nothing to watch and needs no planning beyond showing up. The Chamber lists free attendance and free parking. The race is a different story. The Town requires pre-registration, says there will be no onsite registration on race day, and says it expects the event to be full by Nov. 20. Its event page says, "Registration filled early last year."
Turnout explains why. The Fountain Hills Times reported that more than 2,500 runners took part in the 2024 Turkey Trot. That's a big field for a race that loops one downtown park.
Early-bird pricing ended Nov. 1. Here's what's left, based on the Town's Turkey Trot page. Each price is plus tax and a processing fee.
| Registration window | 5K | 5K, 12 and under | Fitness walk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard: Nov. 2–15, or until full | $40 | $25 | $25 |
| Late: Nov. 16–25, or until full | $45 | $30 | $30 |
Signups go through Race Roster, linked from the Town's page. Anyone who can't register from home can do it at the front desk on the second floor of Town Hall, and credit cards are the only payment accepted there. Registration includes the long-sleeved race shirt, and there's a costume contest for anyone who shows up dressed for Thanksgiving.
Picking up bibs and shirts takes a separate trip earlier in the week. Nothing is handed out on race day.
- Early-bird registrants (signed up by Nov. 1): Monday, Nov. 16, through Thursday, Nov. 19
- Everyone else, at the Fountain Hills Community Center, 13001 N. La Montana Drive: Monday, Nov. 23, 3 to 7 p.m., and Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 24 and 25, 3 to 6 p.m.
Runners have to bring their bibs to be timed. Every 5K and fitness walk finisher gets a medal at the finish line, and the medals can't be picked up early or afterward. The Town also asks participants to leave pets at home.
Where to park, and where to stand
Both events draw from the same few lots. The Town encourages race parking in the Town Hall/Community Center lot, but that lot closes while the race is on and opens for exit traffic only after all runners are off the street. For more parking, the Town points to Plot 208, behind the businesses on the Avenue of the Fountains. If you're staying for the parade, there's no reason to rush out of either spot.
The parade starts at the corner of Saguaro Boulevard and Parkview Avenue, turns onto the Avenue of the Fountains, goes up the Avenue and back down to Saguaro, and ends at Saguaro and El Lago. Because the route doubles back, anyone along the Avenue sees each entry pass twice.
The Chamber's rules shape where spectators stand. Spectators stay at the curb or on the median. Nothing can be thrown from moving entries, so walkers hand out candy at the curb. Kids get the candy by being at the curb, not by catching it.
The Town hasn't released its 2026 closure list. In 2025, the Fountain Hills Times listed these closures for 4 a.m. to noon on Thanksgiving:
- Saguaro Boulevard, both directions, El Lago to Palisades
- Verde River Drive, both directions, Avenue of the Fountains to Palisades
- Avenue of the Fountains, both directions, La Montana to Saguaro
- Parkview Avenue, both directions, La Montana to Saguaro
- Panorama Drive, from the northern end around the back of the park to El Lago, plus Panorama at El Lago
- Vista Del Lago at Teal at Panorama, Diamante Drive at Panorama, and the east end of Fountainhead Drive at Panorama
- Teal Drive and Kiwanis Drive at El Lago
For households on the streets around Fountain Park, that list matters more than either start time. If this year matches last year, anyone driving to Thanksgiving dinner elsewhere has a quiet window after noon.
What comes down the Avenue
This year's theme is "Happy Birthday America," marking the nation's 250th birthday. The Chamber's lineup description covers local businesses, veteran groups, classic cars, service organizations, marching bands, animals, dance routines and motorcycle shows. Santa makes his first Fountain Hills appearance of the holiday season as the parade's finale. Families with young kids should stay through the last entry.
The Daily Independent's photo coverage of last year's parade shows the mix. It included the American Legion Post 58 Color Guard, Sheriff Jerry Sheridan's horseback contingent, the Community Band, cycling Santas, a donkey rescue group, and Santa on a Fountain Hills Fire Department ladder truck. The Chamber judges every entry during the parade and asks units to hold a pace of 120 steps per minute. Entries can stop for the judges, but only for 15 seconds at most. That pace explains why a parade this long fits in about 75 minutes.
Local businesses and groups that want to be in the parade instead of watching it can still apply. Entry is free for Chamber members, $20 for local non-commercial groups, $50 for local commercial entries that aren't members, and $100 for non-local commercial entries. Entrants must attend one of two information meetings, Thursday, Nov. 19, at 9 a.m. or Monday, Nov. 23, at 4 p.m., and send an announcer script of under 50 words by Nov. 21.
Nine days later, the same Avenue at night
The Avenue has one more big night before the year ends. On Saturday, Dec. 5, the Chamber's 37th Annual Stroll in the Glow runs from 5 to 8 p.m. The Lighting of the Avenue, including the Town's official Christmas tree, happens at about 5:45 p.m. Santa arrives by fire truck before 6 p.m. for free photos from the Chamber. From 6 to 8 p.m., hot air balloons glow over Fountain Park. Past Strolls have included a Live Nativity and a Letters to Santa station. Admission is free.
The road closes to traffic at 2 p.m. that day so participants can set up, which means driving down the Avenue that afternoon won't work. The 6 p.m. Balloon Glow overlaps the fountain's 6 and 7 p.m. runs, so the fountain and the balloons can both be in view from the park.
Thanksgiving morning in Fountain Hills tends to bring family and neighbors together, and for some households it's a time to talk about what the next year looks like, including the house. If that talk turns to staying, downsizing or selling, John Rowan can lay out every option, from a full-market listing to a direct cash sale, with the timing and tradeoffs of each, so the decision can wait until after the holidays. Let's Connect.
