‘It is a tradition’ Webster Turkey Trot celebrates 50 years

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC)— The Webster Turkey Trot is celebrating 50 years to kick off the holiday with thousands of runners and walkers.

“One year after a crazy year of covid. We are back to having about 2900 people jaunting in Webster Park, Feet Fleet Rochester owner and organizer Ellen Brenner-Boutillier said.

Thousands came together in Webster for a long-standing tradition. The Webster Turkey Trot celebrating 50 years this thanksgiving with over 3,000 people in attendance in person and virtually.

“Just getting to run this big of a race, this big type of event with people that you know and ran and did a different type of sports with growing up is a really cool thing and just seeing pictures afterward like the start is really epic and it’s just a really cool experience to run with so many people,” Doug Smith said.

Smith has participated in the race a couple of times before and said it’s becoming a tradition.

“I’m from the area and it’s just a cool thing to do to kick off this holiday with family and see some friends here,” Smith said.

With two distance options: the 4.4 mile and the 2.5 mile, families said it’s a way to get together with loved ones before the big meal.

“I’ve done it for the past 3 or so years. I started out doing the 2.5 and now we’re doing the 4.4 but it’s just been a great way to run with friends and reconnect with a lot of people,” Nick Duggan said
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The event started back in 1972 as a high school cross country workout and is now considered the largest human parade in Webster.

“It is a tradition,” Brenner-Boutillier said. “This is what families do every year. They come they bring their littlest ones. They grow up who then bring their littlest ones and it’s just a cycle of life honestly. We have people from generation after generation, my family included who have been coming here since the ’70s."