Irvine/Orange County Turkey Trot 5K & 1 Mile
Thanksgiving morning 5K, 1-mile dash and kids' races at Irvine Valley College, Nov 26, 2026. A food drive for two local nonprofits.
Plan your visit
- When
- Thu Nov 26, 2026. 1 Mile and Combo 7:30am; 5K 8am; Kids from 9:10am.
- Where
- Irvine Valley College, 5500 Irvine Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618
- Admission
- Fees incl.: 1 Mile $33, 5K $42.80, Combo $56, Virtual $56 through Oct 30; Kids $31 through Oct 31. Prices rise after. Parking $5.
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What It Is
The Irvine/Orange County Turkey Trot is a Thanksgiving morning race at Irvine Valley College on Thursday, November 26, 2026. The program: a 1-mile Turkey Dash at 7:30 a.m., the chip-timed 5K at 8 a.m., a Turkey Feast Combo that runs the mile and the 5K back to back, and Kids' Gobble Wobble races from 9:10 a.m. scaled by age, from 50 yards up to a half mile. A virtual option is also available. The race doubles as a food drive benefiting South County Outreach and Urban Health Alliance, with cash donations accepted.
Why Go
It is the central-county alternative to the Dana Point Turkey Trot: a campus course, a shorter drive for Irvine and the surrounding cities, and a format that works whether you want a timed 5K or an untimed mile before the meal. The combo is the honest choice if you plan to eat like it is Thanksgiving. The food drive gives the morning a point beyond the medal.
What To Know Before You Go
Location: Irvine Valley College, 5500 Irvine Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618. Start times: 1 Mile and Combo 7:30 a.m.; 5K 8 a.m. (runners must cross under the start arch by 8:12 a.m.); Kids' Gobble Wobble from 9:10 a.m. Prices (fees included): 1 Mile $33, 5K $42.80, Combo $56, Virtual $56 through October 30; Kids $31 through October 31. Prices rise after those dates. Packet pick-up: Wednesday, November 25, 12 to 4 p.m., at Road Runner Sports, 24291 Avenida De La Carlota, Suite P-5, Laguna Hills, or race morning on campus. Parking: $5, with a pass displayed on the dashboard; buy it online, at early pick-up, or race morning. Enter off Irvine Center Drive and Jeffrey Road. Pro tip: Irvine Center Drive closes at 7:55 a.m., so be parked well before then.
The Honest Take
No harbor views here; this is a campus race built for convenience, not scenery. The real trap is timing: the road closure at 7:55 a.m. and the 8:12 a.m. start cutoff punish late arrivals. Cars in the solar lot cannot leave until 9 a.m., so if you have a morning schedule to keep, park elsewhere on campus. If you want a harbor setting and a 10K option, Dana Point is the call; for a simpler morning closer to central OC, this one wins.