Upstater Destinations: Ulster County Turkey Trot Round-Up

  |  November 14, 2013

turkey

There are lots of reasons to sign up for a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot run. First and foremost, it gives you an excuse to wear a nutty costume while you’re running. But most importantly, let us not forget that many Turkey Trots use those registration fees for good causes, like these three Turkey Trots on tap for Thanksgiving week in Ulster County:

11th Annual Family of New Paltz Turkey Trot/Mashed Potato Kids Fun Run

A long-standing New Paltz tradition, the Turkey Trot, which will be held on Wednesday, November 27th, offers a 5K route around the lovely village of New Paltz that participants can run, walk, or saunter. For the little ones, there’s the Mashed Potato Fun Run, which starts at 8:45 and ends right before the start of the Turkey Trot at 9:30. There will be prizes, of course, for top runners, not to mention music, food, face-painting, a photo booth, and a 50/50 raffle. Registration starts at 7am and costs $20 for participants age 19-64 before the event, $25 on the day of the event. Special discounts available for those under 19 and over 64. All proceeds go to benefit the Family of New Paltz Food Pantry.

3rd Annual Phoenicia Turkey Trot

The Phoenicia Turkey Trot is a 2.4 mile walk/run that takes place at 10am on Saturday, November 30th, and while the admission price is $10 a head, kids can participate for free during the kids’ race at 9:30am. Registration opens at 8am at the Parrish Hall on Main Street. If you manage to be one of the first 50 people to register, you get a free tee-shirt. Proceeds from the run go to replacing the roof of the Pine Hill Community Center.

Junior League of Kingston Turkey Trot

Looking to create a calorie deficit before eating your face off at Thanksgiving dinner? Come to the Kingston Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day (November 28th). The Junior League-sponsored event offers two options: A 2-mile run/walk for a registration fee of $10 and a 5K for $15 if you register before November 15th. After that, the fee goes up to $15 and $20. Registration takes place at 8am in Forsyth Park on Lucas Avenue in uptown Kingston, and running starts at 9am. Early birds get a long-sleeve teeshirt. Your registration fee helps re-build the Kingston Kinderland playground at Forsyth Park.

Bonus for Non-Runners: Thanksgiving Day Yoga at Shakti Yoga Woodstock

Running not your bag? Take a yoga class, instead, at Shakti Yoga on Sawkill Road in Woodstock at 9am Thanksgiving day morning. Drop-in rate is $16, which goes to benefit the Queens Galley soup kitchen and food bank in Kingston, but participants can donate more if they feel moved to do so. If the Shakti lot is full, you can park across the street for free at the Zena School.

Do you Turkey Trot? Let us know where in the comments!

About Kandy Harris

Kandy is a writer and musician/music teacher living in Saugerties, NY.

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