We haven’t found a 2026 Thanksgiving parade in Columbus with posted details yet. In all we found three Thanksgiving-weekend outings in and around Columbus: one turkey trot with a kids’ race and two Black Friday weekend picks, and one is free. We also list three places and whether they’re open on Thanksgiving Day.
Thursday to Sunday
Everything below, laid out by day. Tap any outing to jump to its details.
Thursday morning
Start time, route and what to know with a stroller, from the organizer’s page.
We check the organizers every week. The 3 outings below are confirmed on their official pages.
Run it off
Kids’ races, family walks and stroller rules, from each race’s own page.
Shops on Lane Avenue · 1675 W. Lane Ave., Columbus, OH 43221
For kids: Dick's Tot Trot: a 100-yard dash for kids under 12, before the main race
With littles: The 40th year, on a new 4-mile course, benefiting Easterseals of Central and Southeast Ohio. Costumes encouraged.
Thanksgiving Day
Holiday hours from each place’s own page. Worth a quick check that morning.
Friday to Sunday
Tree lightings, light-display openings, farm days and other easy outings Friday through Sunday.
Columbus Commons and downtown · 160 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43215
With littles: A free walk of light displays from Columbus Commons along West Town Street to the Scioto Mile, running Nov. 20 through mid-February.
Oakland Nursery (Columbus, Dublin, Delaware and New Albany) · 1156 Oakland Park Ave, Columbus, OH 43224 (and other stores)
With littles: Santa visits opening this weekend. Horse-drawn carriage rides weekends noon–4pm at the Columbus store (noon–3pm in Dublin), weather permitting, and a camel visits Columbus on Nov 28 from noon to 3pm. New Albany adds a free Breakfast with Santa on Sat Dec 19, 9–11am, with no reservation needed.
Keep planning
Good questions
We haven’t found 2026 details for a Thanksgiving parade in Columbus yet. We check again every Thursday and add it as soon as the organizer posts it.
Chase Columbus Turkey Trot: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Dick's Tot Trot: a 100-yard dash for kids under 12, before the main race.
Closed on Thanksgiving: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Franklin Park Conservatory and Get Air Columbus. Check the venue page the morning of, since holiday hours can change.
Wanderlights and Santa at Oakland Nursery. Dates and times are on each card.
Wanderlights is free to watch or attend. More free ideas are on free things to do in Columbus.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 18, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday through Thanksgiving week. How we choose and check.
Littles Weekly
One short email every Friday morning: the best things to do with little kids in Columbus that weekend, Thanksgiving week included.
Free things to do in Columbus
Indoor play in Columbus
Noon Year’s Eve in Columbus
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