Between now and the first Saturday in December, almost every public event in Rosemary Beach starts or ends in Barrett Square. Most of them stay inside the town's walkable grid and barely touch daily life outside it. One does not. On Thursday, November 26, the 30A 10K Thanksgiving Day Races close Highway 30A to all traffic for most of the morning. The race also raises money for local charities.
That makes Thanksgiving morning the one date on this year's calendar worth planning a household around. The rest of the season takes care of itself.
The Closure, by the Clock
The race organizers have published the closure in plain terms. In 2026, Highway 30A will be closed to all traffic from East Water Street, where the start and finish line sits in Rosemary Beach, to the 10K turnaround at Bridge Lane just east of The Big Chill. Watersound Parkway also closes for the 5K route, from its intersection with 30A north to the Camp Creek Inn entrance.
| Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026 | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7:00 a.m. | Highway 30A closes to all traffic |
| 7:30 a.m. | 10K starts at Barrett Square |
| 7:35 a.m. | 1-Mile Fun Run starts |
| 9:30 a.m. | 5K starts |
| 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. | Road reopens, depending on which race page you read |
The reopening time is the one detail still open. The course map page and the race homepage both say 30A reopens at 10:30 a.m. The race FAQ says 11:00 a.m. Anyone with a Thanksgiving flight, a caterer, or family driving in from the west should plan on the later time until the organizers post a final traffic update.
For a sense of scale, the race's 2025 application to the Walton County Board of County Commissioners projected 3,000 to 3,500 total participants for that year. Organizers have not published a 2026 figure. The official site expects the races to sell out but gives no numeric cap.
The Way In Runs Under Highway 98
With 30A closed and parking in town limited, the race FAQ sends people parking at 30Avenue, north of Highway 98, to walk into Rosemary Beach through the underground pedestrian path. That path is the Inlet Beach pedestrian underpass at US-98 and 30A. Walton County Tourism reported its opening on October 31, 2024. The 2026 race FAQ names it as the walking route into town.
So for residents, the real effect of race morning reaches beyond 30A itself. Cars move north of 98, and foot traffic comes south through the tunnel. Anyone living near the underpass or Barrett Square will see the crowd arrive on foot well before 7:30.
30Avenue has also changed in ways that matter after dark this season. In April, WJHG reported that owner Dan Tinghitella had dropped "Idyll Hound" from his business's name. It now runs as Proper, at 12805 US-98 E101 in Inlet Beach, with parties on Friday and Saturday nights. On holiday weekends, the same lot that fills on race morning also stays busy late on Friday and Saturday nights.
What the Crowd Pays For
The road closure buys something specific. The 30A 10K Thanksgiving Day Race Series describes itself as a nonprofit that raises money for local charities. Its 2026 charity partners are Children in Crisis, Bailey Brigade, Children's Volunteer Health Network, and Habitat for Humanity of Walton County. The 2025 county application named Melanie Cain as race director and Amy Stoyles as assistant race director.
Registration is open now. The registration page currently lists the 10K and 5K at $95 each and the 1-mile at $45, plus a RunSignup fee at checkout. Prices go up after October 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CDT, 18 days from today. The 1-mile registration closes November 24.
Two other details catch first-timers. All packet pickup happens Wednesday, November 25, at The Big Chill, and there is no race-day packet pickup or registration. After the races, the awards ceremony and post-race party move to North Barrett Square, with a DJ, local vendors, breakfast, and a complimentary mimosa and Bloody Mary bar for adults.
The same pattern shows up nine days later. The town's other major holiday event also raises money for Walton County nonprofits, and it starts from the same square.
December 5 Goes Indoors, Six Houses at a Time
The Rosemary Beach Foundation holds its Holiday Tour of Homes on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., listed at 78 N Barrett Square. It is a self-guided walking tour of six decorated homes, with check-in at North Barrett Square.
The Eventbrite ticket listing says tickets are required for everyone age 5 and up, and they are nonrefundable. The first 550 adult ticket holders receive a commemorative 2026 cup. One listing for the event shows hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Foundation and the ticket page both say 11 to 5, and since they are the organizer and the box office, theirs is the schedule to trust.
The money goes to two organizations. Caring & Sharing of South Walton provides crisis relief through financial assistance, food, counseling, and case management for low-income Walton County residents. Alaqua Animal Refuge is a no-kill refuge that serves abused, neglected, and homeless animals and finds them homes.
The tour also works differently from race day. Visitors move on foot through six front doors rather than down a closed highway. The traffic stays inside the grid, and 30A stays open.
The Season in Order
Here is everything else on the calendar, with each date's confirmation status. The quieter weeks around Thanksgiving fill in like this:
- Saturday, October 24. A Trick or Treat! Halloween Bash in Rosemary Beach, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to a local event listing for the town.
- Wednesday, November 11, through Sunday, November 15. Alys Beach Crafted, one town west. According to 30A.com's fall 2026 guide, the Holiday Makers Market is free and runs through Sunday.
- Wednesday, November 25. Race packet pickup at The Big Chill.
- Thursday, November 26. The 30A 10K Thanksgiving Day Races and the 30A closure.
- Friday, November 27, provisionally. The Christmas tree lighting in South Barrett Square. A local vacation-rental calendar lists it for 6 p.m. that evening. The official town listing still shows last year's edition, held November 28, 2025, with the Charles Dickens Carolers, Santa's arrival, and carriage rides. The Merchant Holiday Open House followed in Town Center from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Until the 2026 listing is posted, the Friday after Thanksgiving is a likely date, not a confirmed one.
- Saturday, December 5. The Holiday Tour of Homes, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with check-in at North Barrett Square.
Even with the tree lighting still unconfirmed, the Thanksgiving week stretch is the busiest on the calendar. Packet pickup is Wednesday, 30A closes Thursday morning, and if last year's pattern holds, the tree lighting falls Friday evening.
If you own in Rosemary Beach and won't be in town Thanksgiving week, a guest arrival, vendor visit, or delivery booked for Thursday morning will run into the 30A closure. My team regularly sets schedules around dates like this for owners who are away. If it would help to plan your week around November 26, Crystal Watkins is glad to talk it through. Let's Connect.
