Turkey Trot
The Bitters & Bones Turkey Trot: A Decade of Community, Miles & Giving
Bitters & Bones co-owners Jimmy and Johnny Williams launched the Turkey Trot when they opened their bar and restaurant in 2015, and what began as a simple Thanksgiving morning 5K has grown into one of the Adirondacks' most beloved community traditions.
The event combines a month-long virtual competition with an epic in-person race on Thanksgiving Day — a festive 5K through downtown Saranac Lake, complete with refreshments, auctions, and a community of family, friends, and friends who feel like family. Runners can pound pavement, tackle trails, or hike a mountain throughout November, logging every mile and seeking sponsors who donate per mile covered. The Thanksgiving morning race kicks off right outside Bitters & Bones on Broadway.
The race's growth over a decade tells its own story. The 2020 event shifted to an all-virtual format due to the pandemic — and rather than stalling the momentum, it raised around $48,000. When the in-person race returned in 2021, organizers kept the virtual per-mile sponsorship format, which helped the event grow "by leaps and bounds," raising $84,000 in 2023. In its 10th year, 2024, the Saranac Lake Turkey Trot hit a landmark fundraising milestone, raising over $100,000 — with more than 400 racers participating. The 11th annual trot in 2025 was described by Williams as "without a doubt the biggest" yet, drawing approximately 500 runners and once again raising roughly $100,000 through registrations, a raffle, and an auction featuring gifts from local business owners.
As Williams put it: "The community just rallies and gives so generously. You're reminded again and again that folks just are so community-oriented and look forward to standing up year after year and supporting the community."
Over eleven years, the Bitters & Bones Turkey Trot has evolved from a neighborhood run into a full community movement — one that has funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars back into Saranac Lake, one mile and one bid at a time.
Check back in the Fall for registration and sign up!Â