We haven’t found a 2026 Thanksgiving parade in Ventura County with posted details yet. In all we found four Thanksgiving-weekend outings in and around Ventura County: two turkey trots with kids’ races and two Black Friday weekend picks. Each listing has the time, price and a link to the official page.
Wednesday night 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 Ventura this-week page.
Wednesday night
Parades and lightings the night before Thanksgiving, from each organizer’s page.
America's Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College · 7075 Campus Rd., Moorpark, CA 93021
With littles: Light display opening this weekend. About a 45-minute self-guided loop of light displays. Some animals are awake and some sleep, so it is mostly about the lights. Cookie decorating on Dec 20 for $12 a kit.
More to come.Tree lightings and holiday openings often post closer to the holiday. We add them every Thursday.Get the Thursday emailThursday morning
Start time, route and what to know with a stroller, from the organizer’s page.
We check the organizers every week. The 4 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.
Ventura Auto Center · Ventura
For kids: The Kids 1K is for ages 14 and under, and every kid gets a finisher's medal.
With littles: The loop course is flat. Kids' registration closes Nov. 23.
Kingsmen Memorial Field, Cal Lutheran University · 60 W. Olsen Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA
For kids: The mile is a run or walk, and there are prizes for best costume.
With littles: Park in the lots near Olsen Road and Mountclef Boulevard. Money raised goes to local charities, including Hospice of the Conejo.
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.
Tree lightings and holiday openings often post closer to the holiday. We recheck every Thursday.
Saturday and Sunday
Parades, lightings, light displays and other easy outings Saturday and Sunday.
America's Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College · 7075 Campus Rd., Moorpark, CA 93021
With littles: Santa visits opening this weekend. First come, first served, with no printed photos. Arrive at 6 to beat the line before bedtime.
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 VenturaEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in VenturaEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free things to do in VenturaFree days, free events and places that never charge
Library storytimes in VenturaBaby, toddler and preschool storytimes by day and branchChristmas parades in VenturaParades and tree lightings with dates and start times
The Nutcracker in VenturaBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in VenturaChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hoursThis week in VenturaDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every Thursday
Good questions
We haven’t found 2026 details for a Thanksgiving parade in Ventura County yet. We check again every Thursday and add it as soon as the organizer posts it.
Ventura Turkey Trot Kids 1K: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. The Kids 1K is for ages 14 and under, and every kid gets a finisher's medal. Five07 Turkey Day Dash: Zack Zernik Mile: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. The mile is a run or walk, and there are prizes for best costume.
On Thanksgiving Day (Thu, Nov 26, 2026) our list has Ventura Turkey Trot Kids 1K and Five07 Turkey Day Dash: Zack Zernik Mile. Times, prices and the official links are on each card.
Wild Lights at the Teaching Zoo and Santa at Wild Lights. Dates and times are on each card.
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 Ventura that weekend, Thanksgiving week included.
