Thanksgiving weekend is when the Mississippi Gulf Coast switches into holiday mode: a turkey trot in the morning, dinner you didn't cook, and the first big light show of the season the next night. Here is what's on from Wednesday, November 25 through Sunday, November 29, 2026.
The weekend calendar
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 25 | Otter Trotter 5K & fun run through Harbor Lights, 5–8 p.m. | Mississippi Aquarium, Gulfport |
| Thu., Nov. 26 | Bay St. Louis Turkey Trot: 5K at 8 a.m., 1-mile fun run at 9 a.m. | Historic Train Depot, Bay St. Louis |
| Thu., Nov. 26 | Thanksgiving buffet, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. | Palace Casino Resort, Biloxi |
| Thu., Nov. 26 | Thanksgiving buffet with all-you-can-eat crab, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. | Boomtown Casino, Biloxi |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival opens, 5:30–10:30 p.m. | Jones Park, Gulfport |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | The Oak Ridge Boys Holiday Show, 8 p.m. | Beau Rivage Theatre, Biloxi |
| From Fri., Nov. 27 | Hen House Holiday Pop-Up Bar (Wed.–Sun. through Dec. 27) | Hen House, Bay St. Louis |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | A Southern Nutcracker, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. | IP Casino Resort Spa, Biloxi |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Christmas in the Bay: festival, 5:30 p.m. parade, Santa | Old Town and the Train Depot, Bay St. Louis |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Small Business Saturday | Old Town Bay St. Louis, downtown Ocean Springs and more |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Peppermint Pops with the Gulf Coast Symphony, 4:30 p.m. | iMPAC, Gulfport |
Wednesday: the night before
The Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport hosts its 7th annual Otter Trotter 5K and fun run. Festivities start at 5 p.m., the 5K at 5:30 and the fun run at 5:40. The course starts and ends at the Aquarium and runs through the Harbor Lights display in Jones Park two days before it opens to the public, and the Aquarium stays open for runners and spectators until 8 p.m. with a preview of its Christmas lights. Register on the Aquarium's website.
Thanksgiving Eve is also one of the busiest bar nights of the year, with friends home from out of town. If your group is heading out, line up the ride home before the first round.
Thursday: Thanksgiving Day
Run first. The 15th annual Bay St. Louis Turkey Trot starts at the Historic Train Depot at 8 a.m., with a 1-mile fun run at 9. The 5K entry includes a post-race brunch of gumbo and jambalaya, with beer and mimosas for the grown-ups. The 5K price goes up as race day gets closer; the mile is $20.
Let someone else cook. Two casino resorts have posted their Thanksgiving buffets:
- Palace Casino Resort, Biloxi: Palace Buffet, 11 a.m.–9 p.m., with a traditional Thanksgiving menu plus prime rib, ham and boiled shrimp. $45, or $43 with a Players Club card.
- Boomtown Casino, Biloxi: Thanksgiving buffet with all-you-can-eat crab and the holiday standards, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
Other resorts and restaurants post their holiday menus in November. Book early where you can, because Thanksgiving tables fill up. The Mississippi Aquarium is closed on Thanksgiving Day and reopens Friday at 10 a.m.
If family is flying in, we can pick them up at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport and get everyone to dinner together.
Friday: Harbor Lights opens
The Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival opens the day after Thanksgiving at Jones Park and runs nightly, 5:30–10:30 p.m. Billed as Mississippi's largest Christmas light show, it fills about 40 acres with carnival rides, a holiday train, Santa's Village and the "Dancing Trees." Tickets go on sale November 1 on the festival's website. The festival lists general admission at $14–$22 and $5–$7 for children 4–12, depending on the night and where you buy; children 3 and under are free. Rides cost extra. Free parking and a shuttle run from the Coast Transit Authority garage at 15th Street and 20th Avenue.
That night, the Oak Ridge Boys bring their holiday show to the Beau Rivage Theatre at 8 p.m., with Christmas songs and the hits. Make it dinner, a show and a drive past the lights.
In Bay St. Louis, the Hen House opens its Holiday Pop-Up Bar on Blaize Avenue, Wednesday through Sunday through December 27.
Saturday: Christmas in the Bay and a Southern Nutcracker
Old Town Bay St. Louis kicks off its season with Christmas in the Bay. The Christmas parade rolls at 5:30 p.m. and ends at the Historic Train Depot, where there's hot cocoa, popcorn, a movie and pictures with Santa. It's free. Spend the afternoon on Small Business Saturday in Old Town's shops first.
In Biloxi, the Southern Arts Alliance stages A Southern Nutcracker, the ballet with a Southern twist and live music by the Biloxi Civic Orchestra, at IP Casino Resort Spa at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are on Ticketmaster.
Sunday: Peppermint Pops
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Symphony plays Peppermint Pops, its all-ages holiday concert of carols, music from The Polar Express and a sing-along, at 4:30 p.m. at iMPAC in Gulfport.
Get home safe
Thanksgiving weekend brings heavy traffic and full lots, especially around Jones Park on Harbor Lights' opening night and in Old Town Bay St. Louis during the parade. If dinner, a show or the bars are on your list, don't drive.
That's where we come in. Our stretch limousine picks up the whole family together, drops you at the door and brings everyone home: airport runs for arriving relatives, Thanksgiving dinner, a show at the Beau Rivage, or a first look at the Christmas lights. Request a quote or call us at (228) 797-5466. For the rest of the season, see our Christmas on the Gulf Coast 2026 calendar, and for casino nights see our casino limo service.
Sources: Mississippi Aquarium, Bay St. Louis Turkey Trot registration, Palace Buffet, Coastal Mississippi: Boomtown Thanksgiving buffet, Gulfport Harbor Lights and its FAQ, Coastal Mississippi: Oak Ridge Boys, Coastal Mississippi: Hen House pop-up, Visit Mississippi: Christmas in the Bay, Coastal Mississippi 2026 holiday events announcement, The Gulf Coast Mom calendar, Mississippi Gulf Coast Symphony. Details can change; confirm with each host before you go.