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

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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."