On two mornings this month, Washington Park fills with thousands of runners in costumes. The south end is still a city construction project scheduled to finish this fall. And the events organized for the people who live east of the park have mostly moved off the grass and onto Old South Gaylord Street.
If you know which mornings draw race crowds and which corners may still be behind fencing, you can plan a Sunday walk, a Thanksgiving morning or a weeknight out without getting caught in a crowd you didn't sign up for.
November 8: the southeast corner gets busy first
The month's first crowd comes for The Great Candy Run on Sunday, November 8. Bib pickup opens at Washington Park at 8 a.m. The free Kids Fun Run for ages 8 and under starts at 8:40, and the 5K follows at 9. The organizer puts the start in the park's southeast section and describes the course as a scenic, mostly flat loop around the park.
The race-day page doesn't name a parking lot. It tells runners to arrive early to find parking around the park. For anyone living near the southeast corner, that means curb space on the blocks closest to the start will likely be gone before 9 a.m. If you need your car that morning, move it Saturday night.
The costumes are part of the event. Runners are encouraged to dress on a candy theme, a costume contest is planned, and registration benefits the Fetal Health Foundation. If you're walking the dog that morning and see a pack of gummy bears on the path, that's the reason.
Thanksgiving morning starts at South High
The bigger crowd shows up 18 days later. The 53rd Mile High United Way Turkey Trot runs on Thursday, November 26: a 4-mile race and walk plus a 1-mile family fun run. The course starts at South High School, 1700 E. Louisiana Ave., so the morning's busiest point sits at the park's southern edge.
The turnout matters here. Denver7 reported that the 2025 Turkey Trot drew 11,600 participants, a record over the previous high of 11,000 in 2023, and raised $770,000. No 2026 forecast has been published, but last year's number shows what Thanksgiving morning around the park can look like.
The organizer's posted schedule:
- 7:30 a.m.: registration opens in front of South High
- 8:15 a.m.: Wave 1 corrals open
- 8:45 a.m.: adaptive athletes taking the early start should be at the front of the line
- 9:00 a.m.: Wave 1 starts
- 9:30 a.m.: Wave 2 starts
- 10:00 a.m.: Wave 3 starts
- 10:15 a.m.: the Lil' Gobbler 1-mile Fun Run starts
With starts spread across more than an hour, the course stays busy for most of the morning. If you're cooking for a crowd, plan any grocery run around that window. Event parking is listed at South High, around the perimeter of Washington Park, and in the All City Stadium lot south of the school. The organizer asks visitors to be courteous to Washington Park neighbors and to follow posted parking signs. Expect cars along the perimeter streets for most of the morning.
If you'd like to join in, a few rules from the organizer's FAQ are worth knowing. Dogs are welcome on a non-retractable leash no longer than six feet. Strollers and wagons can go in any wave, though the 9 and 9:30 waves draw more competitive runners and families are encouraged to start near the back. Bikes and scooters aren't allowed on the course. Spectators can cheer anywhere along the route without a bib. The Finish Village, including the Lil' Gobbler Family Zone and the post-race craft beer garden, is for registered runners, so bring ID if you plan to visit the beer garden.
Pick up packets early if you can. The 2026 Race Roster event page lists advance pickup at Fleet Feet Cherry Creek, 3000 E. 1st Ave., #112, on Sunday, November 22 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, November 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesday, November 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Race-morning pickup is in front of South High starting at 7:30.
The south end is still a work site
Both race mornings take place in a park that isn't finished. Denver Parks & Recreation's Trail, Courts and Picnic Area Improvements project is a $3,040,000 job funded by the Legacy Fund, the DPR capital program and the Elevate Denver Bond. According to the city's project sheet, it covers:
- Meadow Loop paths: the asphalt sidewalks south of the Washington Park Recreation Center and along the west side of S. Humboldt St.
- Picnic areas 1 and 4: upgrades that include the nearby fireplace and gazebo, plus ADA improvements
- Tennis courts nearest the playground: rehabilitated or rebuilt with new lighting, fencing, ADA sidewalks, nets and furniture
The city's schedule called for construction to start in early 2026. The project sheet estimates completion in "Fall 2026," and the Washington Park projects page says "Late 2026." The sheet also calls the schedule an estimate that can change. The city hasn't announced that the work is done or that the courts have reopened, so treat those paths, picnic sites and courts as possibly fenced until you see otherwise. The same projects page also lists an assessment of the pipe between Smith Lake and the lily pond, with possible repair or replacement.
The recreation center has a short horizon too. Its posted pool schedule, revised September 12, runs only through November 14. If swim times are part of your week, check the rec center page after mid-month for the next schedule.
Where the neighborhood's own season happens
With the park busy on race days and partly fenced on its south end, East Wash Park's own events this season are on Old South Gaylord Street, a few minutes' walk east of the park.
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Trick or Treat Street | Old South Gaylord |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | The Great Candy Run 5K | Washington Park, southeast section |
| Nov. 19 to Dec. 24 | Cherry Creek North Holiday Market | Fillmore Plaza, between First and Second avenues |
| Sat.–Sun., Nov. 21–22 | Firefly Handmade holiday market | Outdoors on Old South Gaylord |
| Thu., Nov. 26 | Mile High United Way Turkey Trot | Starts at South High School |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | WPENA Holiday Social, 5–7 p.m. | Wash Park Social, 1096 S. Gaylord St. |
The season starts this Saturday. Old South Gaylord's events page lists Trick or Treat Street for October 31, two days after this post goes up.
The biggest Gaylord weekend comes the Saturday and Sunday before Thanksgiving. Firefly Handmade is holding its holiday market outdoors on Old South Gaylord on November 21 and 22. Visit Denver lists it at 1004 S. Gaylord St. with more than 80 artisans. That Sunday is also the first day of Turkey Trot packet pickup in Cherry Creek, so you could do both in one afternoon.
The one event on the list put on by the neighborhood itself comes after Thanksgiving. The Washington Park East Neighborhood Association's Holiday Social is on Thursday, December 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Wash Park Social, 1096 S. Gaylord St. Appetizers are provided and the bar is cash only, so bring cash.
For a longer holiday market, the Cherry Creek North Holiday Market runs from November 19 through December 24 on Fillmore Plaza, between First and Second avenues, with local makers, live music and seasonal lighting. Gaylord's dates are a single weekend and a single evening, so put those on the calendar first.
At Six Seasons Realty, we follow the Washington Park calendar the way our East Wash Park neighbors do, from race-day parking to the Gaylord market weekend. If you're wondering how a park project or a busy block shapes life on your street, Start a Neighborhood Consultation and we'll talk it through.