Turkey Trot
All photos: ©Sharsti Sandall
5K and Kids Race
The Montlake Turkey Trot, a cherished Thanksgiving tradition in Seattle, began in 2016 as a grassroots effort by the Montlake Community Club (MCC). The MCC board originally envisioned the holiday event as an opportunity to bring the community together in support of helping neighbors in need. It took a strong vision and a dedicated MCC board to get it off the ground.
The first year involved learning how to plan a 5K on the fly, being shocked and overwhelmed when the anticipated participation of 200 grew to almost 600, and handy board members that salvaged race day during a freezing Seattle November downpour. Serendipity even played a hand when a generous neighbor, the late Jimmy Addison, saw our advertising and reached out a week before the event offering to time it for free.
This developed into a symbiotic relationship with Jimmy, who was instrumental in helping establish and grow this race over the first few years. Other neighbors have volunteered their expertise in event planning, graphic design, athletic training, photography, bike race planning, and communications to keep the race thriving. The race even weathered COVID by going virtual for 2 years.
Over the last decade, the race has evolved into a significant source of funding for the University District Food Bank. The event offers an opportunity for young and old to participate and includes both a timed and untimed 5K run and kid’s 1-mile and ½-mile races in which they get to “chase the turkey”. The racecourse winds through the picturesque backdrop of the Washington Park Arboretum and participants often don creative Thanksgiving attire, adding to the festive atmosphere. The race began prior to the paved Arboretum loop trail completion, so over the years the racecourse has had several variations. In the current version, the course utilizes both the loop trail and Lake Washington Blvd, which gets closed for the race from Foster Island to Boyer on Thanksgiving morning.
Registration Now Open
Find out more about the Montlake Turkey Trot. Registration details and event information can be found here.
Today, the Montlake Turkey Trot attracts close to 2,000 participants annually. The event has become the second-largest fundraiser for the University District Food Bank, supporting its mission to provide food security to the community. In the last nine years, the race has generated close to $300K for UDFB. Registration details can be found on the official race page. While the MCC has officially handed the race over to the UDFB, MCC still serves as an instrumental partner for the race, ensuring the local community is able to participate and support this special event.
