Turkey Trot – Community Event Goes Virtual

NOTE: Del Ray Artisans’ gallery is closed on Thanksgiving Day, but open the remainder of the weekend. Check out the current exhibit from Friday-Sunday during gallery hours!

The Alexandria Turkey Trot is a 5-mile run/walk on Thanksgiving Day. This year the 45th annual Alexandria Turkey Trot is moving to a virtual format due to COVID-19. Participants can complete a five-mile run or walk, at the place of their choice, any time between November 21 and 29 and log their race times online. Registration is open at alexandriaturkeytrot.com; while participants can register at any time until November 28, the deadline to order a commemorative t-shirt is November 13.

In the spirit of the holiday, runners are encouraged to donate nonperishable food items for ALIVE, a nonprofit organization that serves those most in need in the City of Alexandria. Needed items include one-pound bags of rice; one-pound bags of dried beans; macaroni and cheese boxes; canned vegetable, soup and fruit (14-15 oz.); canned tuna; canned chicken; and baking mixes (such as Bisquick, 5-7 oz.).

In 2019, the event raised over $6,000 for ALIVE!, with runners donating over 2,000 pounds of food. The Alexandria Turkey Trot is also the primary fundraiser for the Del Ray Business Association, which hosts a wide range of community events year-round and represents the independently-owned restaurants, retailers, and businesses in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria.