Thanksgiving weekend activities for families around Fort Collins (2026)
Checked · Covers Nov 25 – Nov 29 · All times are local Mountain Time
We list 3 family events around Fort Collins for Nov 25 – Nov 29, 2 free. Each listing links to the organizer's own page.
Thanksgiving week events
Fort Collins Thanksgiving Day Run & Gobble Gobble Kids' Run
- When
- Thu, Nov 26
- Hours
- Kids' run about 8:45am; 4-mile run about 9am (may shift for trains)
- Cost
- Kids' run has no entry fee (no registration); 4-mile run registration required
- Age
- All ages
- Setting
- Outdoor
Downtown Thanksgiving four-mile run/walk with a free one-third-mile kids' race down College Ave; every kid gets a finisher ribbon and prize. Meet at the Silver Grill banner in Oak Street Plaza.
✓ Dates checked Nov 8, 2026
Santa Arrives in Old Town Square
- When
- Fri, Nov 27
- Hours
- 11:30am
- Cost
- Free; Santa visits and skate rentals are free
- Age
- All ages
- Setting
- Outdoor
Santa arrives by firetruck with Comet the reindeer; Santa's Workshop and the free skate rink open for the season afterward.
✓ Dates checked Nov 8, 2026
Free Skate Rink & Santa's Workshop in Old Town Square New · Just listed
- When
- Fri, Nov 27 – Sat, Jan 30
- Schedule
- Opens after Santa's firetruck arrival; Santa's Workshop shares the square (separate PDF hours); closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day
- Hours
- Varies by day (see DDA skate-rink hours PDF); closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day
- Cost
- Free admission; free skate rentals; Santa visits free (printed portraits for purchase)
- Age
- All ages
- Setting
- Outdoor
Santa's Workshop and the synthetic skate rink open for the season in Old Town Square after Santa's firetruck arrival at 11:30am on Nov 27. Skate admission and rentals are free; Santa visits are free (printed portraits for purchase). Holiday lights stay on through Feb 14.
✓ Dates checked Nov 9, 2026
Frequently asked questions
What can families do around Fort Collins over Thanksgiving weekend?
We list 3 family events for Nov 25 – Nov 29, 2 free, including Fort Collins Thanksgiving Day Run & Gobble Gobble Kids' Run (Fort Collins, Thu, Nov 26) and Santa Arrives in Old Town Square (Fort Collins, Fri, Nov 27, free). See all 3 above.
Which Thanksgiving weekend events near Fort Collins are free?
2 events on our list are free: Santa Arrives in Old Town Square (Fort Collins, Fri, Nov 27) and Free Skate Rink & Santa's Workshop in Old Town Square (Fort Collins, Nov 27 – Jan 30).
Which Thanksgiving weekend events near Fort Collins need tickets or registration?
1 event on our list says on the official page that it needs advance tickets, timed entry or registration: Fort Collins Thanksgiving Day Run & Gobble Gobble Kids' Run (Fort Collins). Book through each official page.
Our weekend search covers Phoenix Metro & Arizona for now, and more areas are coming soon. This guide is hand-checked the same way.
How we build this page: each event comes from the organizer's official website and shows the date we checked it. An event is called free only when its official page says so. Read how we verify listings.
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