Thanksgiving weekend is when Traverse City shifts from fall into the holiday season. This guide covers Thursday, November 26 through Sunday, November 29, 2026: Turkey Trots on Thanksgiving morning, a Thanksgiving buffet, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday downtown, tree lightings in five villages, and the holiday markets that fill the weekend.
Every date, time, price, and location below comes from the organizer's own website or our live event listings, checked most recently on November 4, 2026. Outdoor events depend on the weather, so recheck the organizer before you go. For the rest of the season, see our holiday markets and lights guide and the November events guide.
Thanksgiving weekend at a glance
| Date and time | Event | Where | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Nov. 26, 8:45 and 9 am | Traverse City Turkey Trot | 123 E. Eleventh St., Traverse City | 5 mile and 5K; register online |
| Thu., Nov. 26, 9 am | Turkey Vulture Trot 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run | Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville | Price not posted |
| Thu., Nov. 26, 11 am to 5 pm | Thanksgiving Day Buffet | Wild Tomato, Crystal Mountain | Open to the public |
| Fri., Nov. 27 and Sat., Nov. 28 | Black Friday and Small Business Saturday | Downtown Traverse City | Free to attend |
| Fri., Nov. 27, 10 am to 6 pm | Black Friday in Leland | Leland | Shopping day at village businesses |
| Fri., Nov. 27, 5 to 8 pm | Holiday Trail Celebration and First Light | Crystal Mountain resort village | Santa and the first trail lighting |
| Fri., Nov. 27, 6 to 8 pm | Christmas Tree Lighting and Santa's Arrival | Downtown Elk Rapids | Free |
| Fri., Nov. 27, 6:15 to 8 pm | Glen Arbor Tree Lighting and market preview | Glen Arbor Town Hall | Caroling, then early shopping |
| Sat., Nov. 28, all day | Holiday in the Village and Santa at the Bay | Downtown Suttons Bay | Free movie at 2 pm; tree lighting at 5 pm |
| Sat., Nov. 28, 9 am to 3 pm | Holly Berry Arts and Crafts Fair | Frankfort-Elberta High School | Free admission |
| Sat., Nov. 28, 10 am to 3 pm | Glen Arbor Holiday Market | Glen Arbor Town Hall | 25-plus vendors |
| Sat., Nov. 28, 5:55 pm | Northport Holiday Tree Lighting | Downtown Northport | Free; some side activities ticketed |
| Through Sun., Nov. 29 | Find the Grinch | Downtown Traverse City shops | Free |
Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26
Turkey Trots
Traverse City Turkey Trot, 123 E. Eleventh St., Traverse City. The 19th annual race has a 5 Mile Flyer at 8:45 am and a 5K run and walk at 9 am. Strollers and dogs on non-retractable leashes are welcome, and kids under 3 in a stroller are free. On the registration page, the 5K is $35 and the 5 mile is $40 through Nov. 6, then prices rise in steps until race day; runners 17 and under pay $20. A signup fee is added to every entry. See our event listing.
Turkey Vulture Trot 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run, 9 am, Crystal Mountain, 12500 Crystal Mountain Dr., Thompsonville. A Thanksgiving morning 5K and one-mile fun run at the resort, with part of the proceeds going to a local raptor sanctuary. Crystal Mountain has not posted the entry fee yet; check its Thanksgiving page. See our event listing.
Thanksgiving dinner out
Thanksgiving Day Buffet, 11 am to 5 pm, Wild Tomato at Crystal Mountain. A traditional Thanksgiving dinner served buffet style at the resort restaurant, open to the public. The price is not posted yet, so check the Crystal Mountain Thanksgiving page before you plan around it. See our event listing.
What is open and closed on Thanksgiving
We have not verified Thanksgiving Day hours for downtown shops, restaurants, wineries, or attractions, so this guide does not list them. Many places set holiday hours late in November. Call or check the business's own website before you go, and plan on reservations for any dinner out.
Black Friday, Friday, November 27
Black Friday and Small Business Saturday in Downtown Traverse City, Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28. The Downtown Traverse City Association runs a two-day shop-local weekend with promotions, treats, and dining specials at participating businesses. It is free to attend. Details are on the DTCA event page. See our event listing.
Black Friday in Leland, 10 am to 6 pm. A day-after-Thanksgiving shopping day at Leland businesses, on the Leland Chamber calendar. Chamber contact details are on our Leland Chamber of Commerce listing. See our event listing.
Find the Grinch, through Sunday, Nov. 29, downtown Traverse City. Look for a hidden Grinch inside participating downtown businesses. Spot him and you could get a treat, a discount, or another surprise from that shop, per the DTCA. See our event listing.
Friday evening tree lightings
Holiday Trail Celebration and First Light, 5 to 8 pm, Crystal Mountain resort village. An evening holiday kickoff with Santa and the first lighting of the holiday trail, plus activities and Black Friday deals around the village, per Crystal Mountain. See our event listing.
Christmas Tree Lighting and Santa's Arrival, 6 to 8 pm, downtown Elk Rapids, River Street, in front of Bayfront Beach and Bike. The village lights its tree and welcomes Santa, with caroling, hot cocoa, and a sled dog meet and greet. Free, per the Elk Rapids Area Chamber. See our event listing.
Glen Arbor Tree Lighting and Holiday Market Preview Party, Glen Arbor Town Hall. Tree lighting and caroling outside the town hall at 6:15 pm, then early shopping at the holiday market from 6:30 to 8 pm, per the Glen Lake Chamber. See our preview listing.
Small Business Saturday, Saturday, November 28
Downtown Traverse City's shop-local weekend continues Saturday (see Black Friday above). Out in the villages:
Holiday in the Village and Santa at the Bay, downtown Suttons Bay. A daylong village event with shop specials, letters to Santa, and a tree contest. A free family movie plays at 2 pm at The Bay Theatre, and Santa arrives by fire truck at 5 pm to light the tree. Shopping costs extra, of course. Details are on the Suttons Bay Chamber page. See our event listing.
Holly Berry Arts and Crafts Fair, 9 am to 3 pm, Frankfort-Elberta High School, 534 11th St., Frankfort. The indoor holiday craft fair kicks off Frankfort's holiday shopping season on Small Business Saturday. Admission is free. See our event listing.
Glen Arbor Holiday Market, 10 am to 3 pm, Glen Arbor Town Hall. Gifts from more than 25 vendors inside the town hall. See our market listing.
Northport Holiday Tree Lighting, 5:55 pm, downtown Northport. The annual village tree lighting is free, though some side activities are ticketed. The Northport Omena Chamber names Saturday, Nov. 28. The side activity schedule posted elsewhere does not show a year yet, so check the chamber page that week. See our event listing.
What is not verified yet
These are things visitors often ask about for Thanksgiving weekend, but we could not confirm them from an organizer for 2026, so this guide does not state them:
- Thanksgiving Day hours for downtown Traverse City shops and restaurants, wineries, and attractions
- Restaurant Thanksgiving dinners in Traverse City itself (only the Crystal Mountain buffet is verified)
- Entry fee for the Turkey Vulture Trot and price for the Wild Tomato buffet (not posted by Crystal Mountain)
- A detailed time for Small Business Saturday in Leland (the chamber calendar shows a placeholder time)
- The Northport side activity schedule for 2026
- Sunday, Nov. 29 events beyond the last day of Find the Grinch
We will add these once each organizer confirms them.
How to plan your Thanksgiving weekend
- Register early for the Turkey Trot. Traverse City Turkey Trot prices go up in steps after Nov. 6.
- Watch the weather. The races and every tree lighting are outdoors in late November cold. Check the National Weather Service in Gaylord before you head out.
- Pick one Friday lighting. Crystal Mountain, Elk Rapids, and Glen Arbor all light up Friday evening at overlapping times, so choose the one closest to where you are staying.
- Make Saturday a village day. Glen Arbor's market and Frankfort's craft fair run in the daytime, and Suttons Bay and Northport light their trees around 5 pm.
- Call ahead on Thursday. Holiday hours are not verified here, so confirm with any business before you drive over.
- Park smart downtown. Our downtown parking guide covers garages and lots for the shopping weekend.
More ideas: the holiday markets and lights guide, the November events guide, the Leelanau Peninsula guide, and the ExploreTraverse events calendar.
Last verified November 4, 2026. Dates, times, prices, and hours change; confirm with each organizer before you go.
Hero photo: Grand Traverse Lighthouse, Northport, Leelanau County, by Sheen Watkins, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped.
