Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26. City Hall closes Nov. 26-27; Thursday trash moves to Friday; city schools are out Nov. 23-27; the Iron Bowl is here Nov. 28.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address; the dates below are for Thanksgiving 2026. Facts come from the City of Tuscaloosa’s holiday schedule, the Tuscaloosa City Schools 2026-27 calendar, the Alabama football schedule and each organizer’s own page, linked below.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. In Tuscaloosa the holiday week is bracketed by football: Alabama plays Chattanooga at home on Saturday, Nov. 21, and hosts Auburn in the Iron Bowl on Saturday, Nov. 28. Schools are out all week, City Hall closes for two days, and the city’s ice rink opens on Government Plaza the Monday before the holiday.

What this means for you

  • Trash: no pickup on Thursday, Nov. 26. Thursday’s garbage, trash and recycling routes are collected Friday, Nov. 27. Questions: 311, or 205-248-5311.
  • City Hall: closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26-27.
  • Schools: Tuscaloosa City Schools are closed Nov. 23-27.
  • Iron Bowl weekend: expect game-day traffic and road closures around campus on Saturday, Nov. 28.
  • Emergencies: 911. Tuscaloosa police non-emergency: 205-349-2121.

Trash, recycling and city offices

The City of Tuscaloosa’s 2026 holiday schedule lists Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26, and the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 27, as city holidays with City Hall offices closed. Garbage, trash and recycling routes due on Thursday are picked up Friday. Monday through Wednesday routes run as normal.

Your pickup day, cart rules and bulk trash rules are on our trash and recycling guide. Homes in Northport and unincorporated Tuscaloosa County are not on city routes; check with your own hauler.

Schools and offices

Who Thanksgiving week 2026
Tuscaloosa City Schools Fall break and Thanksgiving holidays, Monday to Friday, Nov. 23-27
City Hall, 2201 University Blvd. Closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26-27
Post offices and federal offices Closed Thursday, Nov. 26, a federal holiday

Tuscaloosa County School System families should check the county district’s calendars page.

Turkey trot

The 18th annual Wagner’s Tuscaloosa Turkey Trot is the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 21, 2026, with an 8 a.m. start at Wagner’s Team, 406 Bridge Ave. in Northport, about four miles from downtown Tuscaloosa. The course is 2 miles, and this year’s proceeds go to Magic Moments and Tuscaloosa Angels. T-shirts are sold separately at registration.

The Tuscaloosa Track Club’s turkey trot, a 2-mile race from Robert Cardinal Park near the airport, had not posted a 2026 date as of Oct. 17; its last race page is from an earlier year. A Thanksgiving morning race that posts a 2026 date goes here.

Community meals and food help

Last year the Alpha Tau Chapter of Omega Psi Phi joined other Tuscaloosa and Northport groups for a free Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, from 2 to 5 p.m. at 3100 15th St., with dine-in and carryout plates, according to the chapter’s announcement. The 2026 date was not out as of Oct. 17. Other free dinners are added here when the organizer posts the date, time and place.

For food help any time of year, dial 211 to reach Alabama’s community resource line.

Football weekend: Iron Bowl, Saturday, Nov. 28

Alabama hosts Auburn at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 28, according to the 2026 schedule; the kickoff time had not been set as of Oct. 17. The week before, Alabama plays Chattanooga at home at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Game-day parking and road notes are on our getting around Tuscaloosa guide.

The weekend before and after

  • Friday, Nov. 20: the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra plays the score to Home Alone live with the film at the Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater, 7 p.m., with the Alabama Choir School.
  • Saturday, Nov. 21: Kentuck’s Art Market, free, at Kentuck at Queen City, 1901 Jack Warner Parkway, with local artists and handmade goods.
  • Monday, Nov. 23: the city’s Holidays on the Plaza opens on Government Plaza with an outdoor skating rink, Santa visits and the Tinsel Trail. It runs through Jan. 3, 2027. See our holiday lights page.
  • Friday, Nov. 27: store hours as each center posts them are on our Black Friday and holiday shopping page. The Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater has a 7 p.m. concert that night.
  • Every Saturday: the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to noon at the River Market, 1900 Jack Warner Parkway.

Frequently asked questions

Is there trash pickup on Thanksgiving in Tuscaloosa?

No. The city’s 2026 holiday schedule moves Thursday’s garbage, trash and recycling to Friday, Nov. 27. Other days run as normal. Questions: Tuscaloosa 311, 205-248-5311.

When is Thanksgiving break for Tuscaloosa City Schools in 2026?

Monday, Nov. 23, through Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, according to the district’s 2026-27 calendar. Students return Monday, Nov. 30.

Is there a turkey trot in Tuscaloosa?

The 18th annual Wagner’s Tuscaloosa Turkey Trot, a 2-mile race, starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, at Wagner’s Team, 406 Bridge Ave. in Northport, about four miles from downtown Tuscaloosa.

When is the Iron Bowl in 2026?

Alabama hosts Auburn at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The kickoff time had not been set as of Oct. 17.

Is Tuscaloosa City Hall open the day after Thanksgiving?

No. City Hall is closed Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, both city holidays.