We haven’t found a 2026 Thanksgiving parade in Fort Myers–Naples, but Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Gulf Coast Town Center Tree Lighting is Saturday, Nov 28. In all we found five Thanksgiving-weekend outings in and around Fort Myers–Naples: two turkey trots with kids’ races and three Black Friday weekend picks, and one is free.
Thursday to Sunday
Everything below, laid out by day. Tap any outing to jump to its details.
Monday to Wednesday, Nov. 23–25
Many schools are off all week. The full Monday-to-Wednesday list goes up with the weekly update on Monday, Nov. 23; what’s already posted is below.
It comes from the same weekly check as the Fort Myers this-week page.
Thursday morning
Start time, route and what to know with a stroller, from the organizer’s page.
We check the organizers every week. The 5 outings below are confirmed on their official pages.
Run it off
Kids’ races, family walks and stroller rules, from each race’s own page. Kids’ turkey trots in other cities.
755 8th Ave. S. · Old Naples
For kids: The Kids 1K is open to ages 1–18 and the 100-yard dash to ages 1–9. Kids' sign-up closes at 7:30 a.m. race day.
Edison and Ford Winter Estates · 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33901
For kids: The Tot Trot is a 100-yard dash for kids 6 and under.
With littles: McGregor Boulevard closes at 6 a.m., so plan your route to parking. There's no race-day registration.
Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday
Holiday hours from each place’s own hours page. “Not posted” means the page doesn’t list Friday hours yet. Worth a quick check that morning.
Museums, zoos and play places post holiday hours in November. We add them as soon as they do.
Friday, Nov. 27
Tree lightings, parades, light-display openings and Santa arrivals on Black Friday.
Edison and Ford Winter Estates · 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33901
With littles: Light display opening this weekend. The estates’ yearly holiday lights. 2026 ticket prices were not posted when checked.
Naples Botanical Garden
With littles: Light display opening this weekend. Buy tickets ahead online. Prices go up a few dollars for the Dec. 18 – Jan. 3 stretch.
Saturday and Sunday
Parades, lightings, light displays and other easy outings Saturday and Sunday.
Gulf Coast Town Center, West Village · 9903 Gulf Coast Main St., Fort Myers, FL 33913
With littles: Santa visits opening this weekend. Candy Cane Lane, Anna and Elsa, face painting ($5), a stilt walker, balloon twisting, cocoa and letters to Santa. Weather permitting.
More to come.Tree lightings and holiday openings often post closer to the holiday. We add them every Thursday.Get the Thursday emailKeep planning
November: things to do in Fort MyersEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in Fort MyersEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free things to do in Fort MyersFree days, free events and places that never chargeChristmas parades in Fort MyersParades and tree lightings with dates and start times
The Nutcracker in Fort MyersBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in Fort MyersChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hoursThis week in Fort MyersDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every Thursday
Good questions
We haven’t found 2026 details for a Thanksgiving parade in Fort Myers–Naples yet. We check again every Thursday and add it as soon as the organizer posts it.
GCR Thanksgiving Kids 1K and 100-yard dash: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. The Kids 1K is open to ages 1–18 and the 100-yard dash to ages 1–9. Kids' sign-up closes at 7:30 a.m. race day. Fort Myers Turkey Trot Tot Trot: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. The Tot Trot is a 100-yard dash for kids 6 and under.
On Thanksgiving Day (Thu, Nov 26, 2026) our list has GCR Thanksgiving Kids 1K and 100-yard dash and Fort Myers Turkey Trot Tot Trot. Times, prices and the official links are on each card.
On Friday, Nov. 27: Holiday Nights and Johnsonville Night Lights in the Garden. Times and prices are on each card.
Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Gulf Coast Town Center Tree Lighting: Sat Nov 28, 2026, 5–8 p.m., 9903 Gulf Coast Main St., Fort Myers, FL 33913. Times come from each organizer’s page.
Holiday Nights, Johnsonville Night Lights in the Garden and Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Gulf Coast Town Center Tree Lighting. Dates and times are on each card.
Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Gulf Coast Town Center Tree Lighting is free to watch or attend. More free ideas are on free things to do in Fort Myers.
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 30, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday through Thanksgiving week. How we choose and check.
One short email every Thursday evening: the best things to do with little kids in Fort Myers that weekend, Thanksgiving week included.
