# Thanksgiving weekend with kids in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley, 2026

> We haven’t found a 2026 Thanksgiving parade in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley, but South Pole Illuminated Festival is Saturday, Nov 28. In all we found three Thanksgiving-weekend outings in and around McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley: two turkey trots with kids’ races and one Black Friday weekend pick. We also list two places and whether they’re open on Thanksgiving Day.

- Last checked: 2026-10-30
- 3 listings with dates; 0 not posted or announced yet
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/mcallen/thanksgiving/
- Free things to do (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/mcallen/free/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/mcallen/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/mcallen/llms.txt

## Turkey trots with kids’ races

- **Texas Turkey Run 1-Mile Fun Walk** at Mission Hike & Bike Trails, 1386 S. Conway Ave., Mission, TX. When: Sat, Nov 28, 2026. Time: 1-mile walk 7:40 a.m.; 5K and 10K 7:30 a.m. Price: 5K $30; 10K $35; fun walk price on the sign-up page. For kids: The 1-mile fun walk is the shortest distance on the race page. Packet pickup is Nov. 25 only, with none on race day. Plan to arrive by 7 a.m. Official page: https://runsignup.com/Race/TX/Mission/TexasTurkeyRun5k10kPlusMile (checked 2026-10-30)
- **Footworks Thankful 5K family fun run** at Arroyo Park, 1101 E. New Hampshire St., Harlingen, TX 78550. When: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Time: 5K starts at 7 a.m. Price: $30 plus fees. For kids: The page lists only the 5K, with no shorter kids' distance. Music, food and vendors stay at the park after the race. Official page: https://fwrgv.redpodium.com/fwrgvthankful5k (checked 2026-10-30)

## Saturday and Sunday

- **South Pole Illuminated Festival** at McAllen Convention Center and Oval Park, 700 Convention Center Blvd., McAllen, TX. When: Nov 28 – Dec 28, 2026. Time: Wed, Thu and Sun 5:30–9:30 p.m.; Fri and Sat 5:30–10:30 p.m. Price: Not listed on the festival page. Light display opening this weekend. Lanterns and light displays around a digital Christmas tree over 100 feet tall that pulses to music, plus holiday movie nights on the lawn. Official page: https://www.southpoleoftexas.com/ (checked 2026-10-30)

## Open or closed on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday

- **IMAS**: Thursday: Closed Thanksgiving Day. Friday: not posted. Source: https://theimasonline.org/explore-imas/visit-us/ (checked 2026-10-30)
- **Quinta Mazatlán**: Thursday: Closed Thanksgiving Day. Friday: not posted. Source: https://www.quintamazatlan.com/visit-explore/park-hours-admission (checked 2026-10-30)

## 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

### Is there a Thanksgiving parade in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley?
We haven’t found 2026 details for a Thanksgiving parade in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley yet. We check again every Thursday and add it as soon as the organizer posts it.

### Are there turkey trots with kids’ races in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley?
Texas Turkey Run 1-Mile Fun Walk: Sat, Nov 28, 2026. The 1-mile fun walk is the shortest distance on the race page. Footworks Thankful 5K family fun run: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. The page lists only the 5K, with no shorter kids' distance.

### What can we do with kids in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley on Thanksgiving Day?
On Thanksgiving Day (Thu, Nov 26, 2026) our list has Footworks Thankful 5K family fun run. Times, prices and the official links are on each card.

### What’s open on Thanksgiving Day in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley with kids?
Closed on Thanksgiving: IMAS and Quinta Mazatlán. Check the venue page the morning of, since holiday hours can change.

### When is the tree lighting in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley Thanksgiving weekend?
South Pole Illuminated Festival: Nov 28 – Dec 28, 2026, Wed, Thu and Sun 5:30–9:30 p.m.; Fri and Sat 5:30–10:30 p.m., 700 Convention Center Blvd., McAllen, TX. Times come from each organizer’s page.

### What can we do with little kids on Black Friday weekend in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley?
South Pole Illuminated Festival. Dates and times are on each card.

### 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 30, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday through Thanksgiving week. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).