For half a century, thousands of runners have gathered on Thanksgiving morning in Port Washington to lace up, stretch and give back to their community before sitting down to their holiday meals.
This year the beloved Thanksgiving Day Run celebrates its 50th anniversary, continuing a tradition that started with a small group of parents and a failed school budget vote, which has since grown into one of Long Island’s most cherished community events.
Organized by the Community Chest of Port Washington and co-sponsored by the Town of North Hempstead, the five-mile race will step off at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 27, from Manorhaven Boulevard, winding through the scenic streets of Sands Point before finishing inside Manorhaven Park.
“The origins of this race actually go back to 1975,” said Bobby Keller, executive director of the Community Chest. “A school budget vote had failed, and a group of parents decided to host a Thanksgiving Day run as a fundraiser to cover some of the sports-related programs that were going to be dropped that year. Fifty years later, it’s taken on a life of its own.”
What began as a grassroots effort has become a major fundraising event benefiting the Community Chest’s grantmaking work. Proceeds from the run help fund 29 local charities serving Port Washington residents of all ages, from youth programs to senior services.
“This event really teaches our kids and families what community support means,” Keller said. “It’s not just about the race itself, it’s about helping others and showing that we’re all here to lift each other up.”
Last year’s event saw around 3,500 registered participants, though torrential rain and freezing temperatures kept some home. “We still had nearly 1,900 hardy souls come out and run,” Keller said with a laugh. “We’re hoping for better weather this year and even more runners.”
The Thanksgiving Day Run has always been more than just a race, it’s a reunion of neighbors, friends, and families. Keller said that as many as 40 percent of participants are families running together, often spanning three generations.
The packet pickup nights, held this year on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26 at the Port Washington Adult Activities Center, have also become a highlight.
“It’s such a festive atmosphere,” Keller said. “People who haven’t seen each other since last year’s race catch up, we collect food donations for the Our Lady of Fatima Food Pantry, and everyone gets excited for race day.”
Runners can register at www.portchest.org, with early bird registration open through Oct. 30. Fees are $44.32 for adults and $28.45 for kids ages 9–21 (children under 11 must run with an adult). All participants receive a commemorative long-sleeve T-shirt, and awards will be given to the top three male and female finishers overall and in 16 age categories.
This year’s event will also pay special tribute to Bobby Anastasia, who has run in every Thanksgiving Day Run since its inception. If he crosses the finish line again this year, he will have completed all 50 races, an extraordinary feat that Keller said embodies the event’s spirit of endurance and community.
The race’s signature “Run for the Red Feather” initiative further connects the event to the Community Chest’s mission. The top male and female finishers each receive a Red Feather trophy and get to choose one of the 29 charities to receive an additional $1,000 grant in their honor.
“It’s a wonderful way to tie the race directly to the causes we support,” Keller said. “Those extra donations make a real difference in the programs these charities run for our residents.”
Even those who can’t run can still participate by volunteering, donating or sponsoring the event.
“This race is such a joyful, meaningful way to start Thanksgiving,” Keller said. “It brings people together for fun, fitness, and a great cause.”
The Port Washington Thanksgiving Day Run is USA Track and Field-certified and supported by local police, fire medics, and the villages of Manorhaven, Sands Point, Baxter Estates, and Port Washington North.
For more information, call the Community Chest of Port Washington at 516-767-2121 or visit www.portchest.org.
