# Thanksgiving weekend with kids in Houston, 2026 > The big one for little kids is H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade (Thu 9am). In all we found four Thanksgiving-weekend outings in and around Houston: one parade, one turkey trot with a kids’ race and two Black Friday weekend picks, and two are free. We also list three places and whether they’re open on Thanksgiving Day. - Last checked: 2026-10-26 - 4 listings with dates; 0 not posted or announced yet - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/houston/thanksgiving/ - Free things to do (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/houston/free/index.md - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/houston/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/houston/llms.txt ## Thanksgiving parades - **H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade** at Downtown Houston, starting at Smith and Lamar, Downtown. When: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Time: 9am. Price: Free to watch. For kids: Get to the route early for a curb spot; route streets close from 8 to 11am. The route runs north on Smith, east on Walker, south on Milam, west on Pease, north on Louisiana and west on Clay, ending on Smith at Dallas. Official page: https://www.houstontx.gov/thanksgivingparade/ (checked 2026-10-26) ## Turkey trots with kids’ races - **Houston Methodist Turkey Trot** at Post Oak Blvd. by the Galleria, Uptown. When: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Time: Kids Run 9am; 10K 7:30am; 5K 8am. Price: Kids Run $25.99 plus signup fee through Nov 20, then higher; 5K $44.99; 10K $49.99. For kids: The Kids Run is under 1K and untimed. A parent can run with a registered child without registering. Strollers start at the back. The start is outside Dillard’s on Post Oak. Official page: https://runsignup.com/Race/TX/Houston/HoustonTurkeyTrot (checked 2026-10-26) ## Friday, the day after Thanksgiving - **Photos with Santa at First Colony Mall** at First Colony Mall, 16535 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, TX 77479. When: Nov 27 – Dec 24, 2026. Time: Mall hours; reserve online. Price: Photo packages. Santa visits opening this weekend. Reservations are booked through whereissanta.com. Official page: https://houston.kidsoutandabout.com/content/photos-santa-first-colony-mall-0 (checked 2026-10-26) ## Saturday and Sunday - **Nutcracker in the Park Tree Lighting** at League Park, 512 2nd Street, League City. When: Sat, Nov 28, 2026. Time: 6pm (free cocoa from 5pm). Price: Free. Official page: https://www.leaguecity.com/nutcracker (checked 2026-10-26) ## Open or closed on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday - **Children’s Museum Houston**: Thursday: Closed Thanksgiving Day. Friday: Open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Source: https://www.cmhouston.org/visiting/admission (checked 2026-10-26) - **Houston Zoo**: Thursday: Closed during the day on Thanksgiving; Zoo Lights open 5:30–10:30pm. Friday: Open 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; Zoo Lights 5:30–10:30 p.m. Source: https://www.houstonzoo.org/events/zoolights/ (checked 2026-10-26) - **Hermann Park train, pedal boats and carousel**: Thursday: Closed Thanksgiving Day. Friday: not posted. Source: https://hermannpark.org/visit/train-pedal-boats/ (checked 2026-10-26) ## Thanksgiving events that come back every year - [Houston Methodist Turkey Trot](https://littlesweekly.com/houston/events/houston-methodist-turkey-trot-post-oak-blvd-by/): next dates Nov 26, 2026 ## About this list - Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city. - How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com). - Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list. - How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote. ## FAQ ### When is the Thanksgiving parade in Houston? H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade: Thu, Nov 26, 2026, 9am, Downtown. Times come from each organizer’s own page. ### Are there turkey trots with kids’ races in Houston? Houston Methodist Turkey Trot: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. The Kids Run is under 1K and untimed. A parent can run with a registered child without registering. ### What can we do with kids in Houston on Thanksgiving Day? On Thanksgiving Day (Thu, Nov 26, 2026) our list has H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade and Houston Methodist Turkey Trot. Times, prices and the official links are on each card. ### What’s open on Thanksgiving Day in Houston with kids? Closed on Thanksgiving: Children’s Museum Houston, Houston Zoo and Hermann Park train, pedal boats and carousel. Check the venue page the morning of, since holiday hours can change. ### Is the Children’s Museum Houston open on Thanksgiving? No. Its hours page lists it as closed Thanksgiving Day. Friday, Nov. 27: open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Holiday hours can change, so check [the hours page](https://www.cmhouston.org/visiting/admission) that morning. ### Is the Houston Zoo open on Thanksgiving? No. Its hours page lists it as closed during the day on Thanksgiving; Zoo Lights open 5:30–10:30pm. Friday, Nov. 27: open 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; Zoo Lights 5:30–10:30 p.m. Holiday hours can change, so check [the hours page](https://www.houstonzoo.org/events/zoolights/) that morning. ### What can we do with kids the day after Thanksgiving in Houston? On Friday, Nov. 27: Photos with Santa at First Colony Mall. The hours table also shows which places are open Friday. Times and prices are on each card. ### When is the tree lighting in Houston Thanksgiving weekend? Nutcracker in the Park Tree Lighting: Sat, Nov 28, 2026, 6pm (free cocoa from 5pm), League City. Times come from each organizer’s page. ### What can we do with little kids on Black Friday weekend in Houston? Photos with Santa at First Colony Mall and Nutcracker in the Park Tree Lighting. Dates and times are on each card. ### What’s free on Thanksgiving weekend in Houston? H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade and Nutcracker in the Park Tree Lighting are free to watch or attend. More free ideas are on [free things to do in Houston](https://littlesweekly.com/houston/free/). ### How do you check these Thanksgiving listings? 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 26, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday through Thanksgiving week. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).