Registration is open for the 25th annual Christopher Dailey 5K Saratoga Turkey Trot, set for Thanksgiving Day on Broadway in Saratoga Springs. The run/walk kicks off at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 26, with online sign-ups closing at 8 p.m. on Nov. 25 and no race-day registration offered this year.
The race starts in front of Saratoga Springs City Hall at the corner of Broadway and Lake Avenue and finishes near the corner of Route 50 and North Broadway, according to the Christopher Dailey Foundation. The foundation describes it as a fun, noncompetitive 5K run/walk, with all proceeds supporting its work funding local organizations and programs that serve youth and families. As The Post-Star reports, the Christopher Dailey Foundation has supported youth needs in the Saratoga community since 2002.
Registration costs $30 through Nov. 16 and rises to $35 starting Nov. 17, per the foundation's event page. A family-plan discount is available through Nov. 24 for families of four that include two children under 14. M&T Bank is serving as the event's lead corporate partner this year, according to iloveny.com.
A Race Born From Loss, Now a Thanksgiving Tradition
The Turkey Trot traces back to 2002, founded in memory of Christopher Dailey, who died in November 2001, according to the foundation. Co-founders Mark and Maria Dailey have said they're able to honor Christopher through their work supporting children across the greater Saratoga community. The foundation supports youth recreational facilities, children with disabilities and local organizations across the greater Saratoga region.
Sources differ on how the race started. The foundation's own co-founders told iloveny.com that the first Thanksgiving gathered 350 runners on a cold morning, growing to ten times that number 25 years later, while a Saratogian search snippet put the original field at 300 runners — a weaker, lower-confidence figure. Either way, the race has ballooned well beyond its early years: a 2012 Saratogian report tracked it passing 1,000 runners in 2006, 2,000 in 2010, and more than 3,800 participants by its 11th running that year.
Record Crowds in Recent Years
More than 3,600 people ran the 22nd Christopher Dailey Foundation 5K Turkey Trot in 2023, according to CBS 6 Albany, which also reported that the Turkey Trot has raised around $60,000 for local organizations through the foundation's events. Last year's 24th annual race drew more than 3,000 participants, and organizers called it the largest Turkey Trot in Saratoga to date, The Saratogian reported. Darren Pasek, 18, of Saratoga Springs, won the 2025 5K with a time of 16:22.
The foundation's reach extends beyond race day. Franklin Community Center has received generous financial support from the Christopher Dailey Foundation, including a $9,000 grant for its Project Lift program, according to the center. Franklin Community Center Executive Director Kari Cushing said the foundation's financial support has directly impacted countless lives in the community and that it advocates for individuals and families in the area who need assistance.
How to Register
Registration instructions are available online at tinyurl.com/y25f7zjz, and those with questions can reach the foundation by phone at 518-879-8305 or by email at [email protected]. Organizers are again urging runners and walkers to sign up early, since there will be no option to register the morning of the race.
