Columbia and Midlands community guide for Thanksgiving week
Columbia, SC Thanksgiving 2026: Turkey Trots, Free Meals & Ways to Give
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. Here’s where to find a free turkey or a hot meal, where to run off the pie, and how to celebrate with friends across Columbia and the Midlands.
Need food right now? Visit harvesthope.org to find a Harvest Hope Food Bank pantry near you, or dial 2-1-1. Call ahead before you go, since holiday hours change.
Thanksgiving in Columbia is full of neighbors helping neighbors: runners lining up at Colonial Life Arena for the Boys & Girls Clubs, volunteers serving hundreds of hot plates at the Basilica of St. Peter, and Shandon turning out on Black Friday to burn off the pie. I put this guide together from Eventbrite listings, local news and community sources so you can find what you need in one place, whether that’s help with groceries, a place to volunteer, or a reason to get outside.
Events are listed by date within each section. Plans change, so always confirm times and registration with the organizer before you head out.
Food pantries and turkey giveaways
If you need groceries or a turkey this year, start here. Giveaways are first-come, first-served and often run out early, so arrive ahead of the start time.
Midlands turkey giveaways
Each year, groups such as Living Faith Christian Center and Chophouse 75 have handed out hundreds of free turkeys on the weekend before Thanksgiving. WIS and WACH publish updated lists in mid-November.
2026 details pending — confirm before you goSource: WACH Fox 57
Columbia Police Thanksgiving Dinner Drive-Thru
Columbia police officers host an annual drive-thru the Monday of Thanksgiving week, handing out free bags of Thanksgiving supplies and turkeys.
2026 details pending — confirm before you goSource: WACH Fox 57
Free Thanksgiving dinners
Hot meals on Thanksgiving Day. All of them welcome volunteers.
Thanksgiving dinner at Radius Church
A free community Thanksgiving dinner in Lexington.
2026 details pending — confirm before you goSource: WIS
Robert D. Keeder Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner
A downtown tradition for more than three decades. About 200 volunteers serve 400 to 500 fresh, hot Thanksgiving meals to anyone who needs a meal or some company.
2026 details pending — confirm before you goSource: WIS
Transitions Homeless Center Thanksgiving dinner
Transitions serves smoked turkeys, hams and traditional sides to close to 300 guests, with help from Harvest Hope Food Bank.
2026 details pending — confirm before you goSource: WACH Fox 57
Ways to give back
Volunteer or donate during Thanksgiving week.
Volunteer or donate at Harvest Hope Food Bank
South Carolina’s largest food bank needs 200 to 300 volunteers a day around Thanksgiving and accepts food donations on weekdays. Sign up at harvesthope.org.
2026 details pending — confirm before you goSource: WACH Fox 57
Turkey Trots
Run before the feast on Thursday, or burn it off on Black Friday.
Turkey Day Run (Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands)
Columbia’s Thanksgiving morning tradition and the largest fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands. Last year’s 21st run drew a record 1,600-plus runners and raised $60,000 for local kids.
2026 details pending — confirm before you goSource: WIS
Shandon Turkey Trot & Burn 5K
Burn off the feast on Black Friday with a 5K through the Shandon neighborhood, hosted by the Shandon Neighborhood Council. Registration is $35 and includes a soft long-sleeve race shirt.
Source: RunSignup
Friendsgiving and the long weekend
Celebrate with friends, then make a night of the holiday lights.
Friendsgiving Karaoke Sip & Paint
Singing, sipping and painting with friends to kick off the holiday season.
Source: Eventbrite
Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
A Thanksgiving-weekend favorite: hot chocolate, s’mores and snowfall as you stroll among twinkling and lantern animals. Check riverbanks.org for 2026 dates and tickets.
2026 details pending — confirm before you goSource: Experience Columbia SC
Thanksgiving in Columbia: Frequently asked questions
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026.
Is there a Turkey Trot in Columbia, SC?
Yes. The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands Turkey Day Run starts at Colonial Life Arena on Thanksgiving morning (9 a.m. in past years), and the Shandon Turkey Trot & Burn 5K runs on Black Friday, Nov. 27, at 10 a.m.
Where can I get a free Thanksgiving meal in Columbia?
The Basilica of St. Peter’s Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner has served free hot meals downtown from noon to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, and Transitions Homeless Center hosts a Thanksgiving dinner too. Confirm 2026 times before you go.
Where can I find food help in the Midlands?
Harvest Hope Food Bank, South Carolina’s largest food bank, can connect you to a pantry near you at harvesthope.org, and 2-1-1 can point you to help any day.
How can I volunteer on Thanksgiving in Columbia?
Harvest Hope Food Bank needs hundreds of volunteers a day around Thanksgiving, and the Basilica of St. Peter’s dinner relies on about 200 volunteers.
From our family to yours, happy Thanksgiving
If this guide helped, pass it along to a neighbor who could use it. And when you’re ready to talk about buying or selling a home in Columbia or anywhere in the Midlands, I’m here to help.
Holly Swan · Coldwell Banker
(803) 603-1671 · holly.c.swan@gmail.com · HollySwanRealEstate.com
Event information was gathered from Eventbrite and the public sources linked with each listing as of October 27, 2026, and is provided for convenience only. Dates, times, eligibility and availability are set by each organizer and may change. Free food distributions are typically first-come, first-served while supplies last. Coldwell Banker is not affiliated with these organizations or events unless stated. Listings marked “2026 details pending” are annual events whose 2026 schedules had not been announced at the time of writing.