Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. Palmetto Bluff Turkey Trot, a free community dinner, school break Nov. 25-27 and trash running a day late.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from each organizer’s own page, linked below. Dates marked 2025 are last year’s; we update them as 2026 plans are posted.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. Bluffton marks the morning with turkey trots, schools are out from Wednesday, and trash pickup runs a day late for the rest of the week.

Who to call

  • Trash and recycling: Waste Management, 803-534-0061
  • Town Hall: Town of Bluffton, 843-706-4500
  • Food help: Bluffton Self Help, 843-757-8000, 39 Sheridan Park Circle
  • Black Friday: store hours and Small Business Saturday are on our holiday shopping page

Turkey trots

  • Palmetto Bluff Turkey Trot 5K and Kids Fun Run, Thursday, Nov. 26, from Wilson Village Green, 2 Village Park Square, in front of Buzz Coffee, according to the race’s registration page. The kids fun run starts at 9 a.m. and the 5K run and walk at 9:15 a.m. The 5K is $35 through Oct. 31 and $40 from Nov. 1, plus a sign-up fee; the kids run is $20. The race says all proceeds go to a local nonprofit.
  • Historic Bluffton 5K Turkey Chase. On Thanksgiving 2025 it ran from 8 to 10 a.m. from Oyster Factory Park, 55 Wharf St., according to the town calendar. The organizer had not posted 2026 details on its own page when we checked; we add them when it does.

Thanksgiving dinner and food help

  • Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner of Hilton Head, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26, at Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks on Hilton Head Island. A traditional meal is served family-style and “all are welcome,” the organizers say. Donations go to The Deep Well Project, Bluffton Self Help and Second Helpings.
  • Bluffton Self Help runs its Turkeys to Toys drive: the Thanksgiving turkey and nonperishable food drive is open through Nov. 14, and the Thanksgiving food distribution is Nov. 16, 18, 19 and 20. Call 843-757-8000 to ask about help.

What is open and closed

Service Thanksgiving week 2026
Beaufort County schools Closed Wednesday to Friday, Nov. 25-27 (district calendar)
Trash and recycling (WM) No pickup Thursday; Thursday moves to Friday, Nov. 27, and Friday to Saturday, Nov. 28
County convenience centers Closed Thanksgiving Day; the centers are also closed every Wednesday
Town offices Closed Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving week in 2025, on the town calendar

Trash details, including the Simmonsville Road convenience center, are on our trash and recycling page.

What this means for you

  • Register early for the Palmetto Bluff 5K; the price goes up after Oct. 31.
  • Put trash out a day late if your pickup is Thursday or Friday.
  • The convenience centers close Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day, so plan county drop-offs for Tuesday or Friday.

More: holiday lights and Christmas events and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a turkey trot in Bluffton on Thanksgiving 2026?

Yes. The Palmetto Bluff Turkey Trot 5K starts at 9:15 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 26, at Wilson Village Green, with a kids fun run at 9 a.m. The Historic Bluffton Turkey Chase ran from Oyster Factory Park at 8 a.m. on Thanksgiving 2025; its 2026 details were not posted when we checked.

Is trash picked up on Thanksgiving in Bluffton?

No. Thanksgiving is a Waste Management holiday, so Thursday pickup moves to Friday, Nov. 27, and Friday pickup moves to Saturday, Nov. 28.

When is Thanksgiving break for Beaufort County schools?

Wednesday, Nov. 25, through Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, on the Beaufort County School District’s 2026-27 calendar.

Where can I get a free Thanksgiving dinner near Bluffton?

The Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner of Hilton Head is served family-style from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks, and all are welcome. Bluffton Self Help holds its Thanksgiving food distribution Nov. 16, 18, 19 and 20.