Thanksgiving 2026 in East Cobb: the Gobble Jog and Running of the Turkeys Nov. 26, county and library closures, school break and trash pickup notes.

Last checked Oct. 5, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Race times come from each race’s registration page and closures from Cobb County, linked below.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. East Cobb is unincorporated, so the holiday schedule that matters comes from Cobb County government, the Cobb County School District and your own trash hauler.

When What
Friday, Nov. 20, 5 to 7 p.m. The Lighting of Avenue East Cobb
Nov. 23-27 Cobb County schools closed for Thanksgiving break
Wednesday, Nov. 25, 5 p.m. Cobb libraries close until Saturday
Thursday, Nov. 26, 7:30 a.m. MUST Gobble Jog 10K, Marietta Square
Thursday, Nov. 26, 8 a.m. Running of the Turkeys 5K, Roswell
Nov. 26-27 Cobb County offices and transfer station closed

Who to call

  • Cobb County government: 770-528-1000
  • Transfer station: GFL Environmental, 1897 County Services Parkway, 770-485-8940
  • Police, non-emergency: Cobb County Police, 770-499-3900
  • Emergency: 911

Turkey trots

MUST Gobble Jog, Thursday, Nov. 26, Marietta Square. The 24th Gobble Jog benefits MUST Ministries, the Cobb nonprofit that provides food, housing help and job services. Start times on the race registration page:

  • 10K timed run: 7:30 a.m.
  • 1K untimed: 8:30 a.m.
  • 5K timed run: 8:45 a.m.
  • 5K untimed walk or run: 9:05 a.m.
  • Tot Trot, a 50-yard dash for children 4 and under: 10:30 a.m.

The 10K and 5K are USATF certified and count as AJC Peachtree Road Race qualifiers, and the organizers offer a “phantom runner” option for people who want to give without running. MUST says more than 10,000 runners come to the square on Thanksgiving morning (MUST Ministries). Entry fees rise after Oct. 31. Expect streets around the square to be busy from early morning.

Running of the Turkeys 5K, Thursday, Nov. 26, 8 a.m., Roswell. A chip-timed 5K down Canton Street in downtown Roswell, about six miles north, supporting Friends of Roswell Police (race page). Packet pickup is mandatory and one of the three sessions is in East Cobb: noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, at Big Peach Running Co. in Woodlawn Point Shopping Center, 1062 Johnson Ferry Road (packet pickup details).

What is open and closed

  • Cobb County government offices: closed Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27, the county’s 2026 holiday schedule shows.
  • Cobb County Public Library: all branches, including East Cobb and Mountain View, close at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, with no curbside pickup through Friday, and reopen as normal Saturday, Nov. 28 (library closure notice). Digital collections stay available.
  • Schools: the Cobb County School District is closed all week, Nov. 23-27, for Thanksgiving break (district calendar).
  • Stores and restaurants: hours are set by each business. Check with them directly, and see our Black Friday and holiday shopping guide.

Trash pickup changes

There is no county trash service in unincorporated East Cobb. Homes contract with a private hauler, often through the HOA, and each hauler sets its own Thanksgiving schedule. Check your hauler’s website or invoice; numbers for the main haulers are in our trash and recycling guide.

If you are taking a load yourself: the county transfer station at 1897 County Services Parkway, run by GFL Environmental, is closed on county holidays (Cobb waste disposal), so it is shut Nov. 26 and 27. The WestRock recycling drop-off is closed the same two days.

Helping out

The Center for Family Resources’ Thanks for Giving drive, now in its 40th year, packs Thanksgiving meal boxes for about 1,000 Cobb families. The nonprofit is asking schools, churches, businesses and HOAs to run food drives from late October through mid-November, and needs volunteers Nov. 16-20 to sort and pack (Center for Family Resources). Families who need a box can ask their school counselor.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Thanksgiving turkey trot near East Cobb? Yes. The MUST Gobble Jog starts on Marietta Square on Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 26, with the 10K at 7:30 a.m., and the Running of the Turkeys 5K starts at 8 a.m. on Canton Street in Roswell.

Are Cobb County offices closed for Thanksgiving 2026? Yes. Cobb County government offices are closed Thursday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 27. Libraries close at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, and reopen Saturday, Nov. 28.

Is trash pickup delayed for Thanksgiving in East Cobb? It depends on your hauler. East Cobb homes use private haulers, and each one sets its own holiday schedule. The county transfer station is closed on county holidays.

When is Thanksgiving break for Cobb County schools? Monday, Nov. 23, through Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, according to the Cobb County School District calendar.

What this means for you

  • Register early for the Gobble Jog: prices go up after Oct. 31.
  • Return library books and run county errands by Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 25.
  • Ask your hauler now whether Thanksgiving week pickup moves.

Related: holiday lights and Christmas events, Christmas parade and tree lighting, trash and recycling and schools.