Coming up, Thursday through Sunday, November 24 – 27, the holidays will get off to a fast-moving start with the Seattle Turkey Trot, followed by Macy’s Holiday Parade and the Westlake Tree Lighting Ceremony and several marathons, including the 42nd annual Seattle Marathon.

The events will likely create traffic congestion so motorists should allow for possible delays as they plan their travels. The Seattle Department of Transportation encourages drivers to help reduce their carbon footprint and traffic by trying one of the many alternate modes of travel available such as Metro Transit, riding the Sounder commuter train, taking Link light rail, carpooling, bicycling or even walking, if feasible.

Thursday, November 24

Seattle Turkey Trot: 9 a.m.

Run to benefit Ballard Food Bank assembles on Loyal Way NW between 31st and 32nd Avenue NW

1,500 participating

Run route: From Loyal Way, runners head south on 32nd Avenue NW, west on NW 77th Street; south on 34th Avenue NW; west on NW 57th Street; northwest on 37th Place NW; north on the Burke-Gilman Trail along the east side of Seaview Avenue NW; finishing at Golden Gardens Park.

Friday, November 25:

Macy’s Holiday Parade: 8:45 a.m.

Assembles at Seventh Avenue and Pine Street

40,000 attending

Parade route: West on Pine Street to Fifth Avenue; south on Fifth to University Street; west on University to Fourth Avenue; north on Fourth to Macy’s (between Pine and Olive streets);

Streets closed at 7:30 a.m. for parade staging: Pine Street between Boren Avenue and Seventh Avenue; and Ninth, Eighth and Seventh avenues between Olive Way and Pike Street. All streets reopened by 11 a.m. (with the exception of Pine Street between Fifth and Fourth avenues, which will remain closed until the end of the Westlake Tree Lighting Ceremony).

Westlake Tree Lighting Ceremony and Macy’s Star Lighting and Fireworks: 4:45 p.m.

Westlake Center Plaza with festivities beginning at 4:45 p.m.; tree lighting at 5:35 p.m.; weather permitting, fireworks at Macy’s at Fourth and Pine at 5:40 p.m.

10,000 attending

Streets closed at 4 p.m. between Union Street and Olive Way; Fifth Avenue between Olive Way and Pike Street; Pine Street between Third and Sixth avenues; Pike Street between Third and Fifth avenues. Streets will reopen once pedestrian traffic disperses.

Saturday, November 26

Seattle Marathon 5K Race: 8:30 a.m.

Staging on Mercer Street at Second Avenue N

2,300 participants

Race route: East on Mercer to Fifth Avenue N; south on Fifth to Cedar Street; west on Cedar to Second Avenue; south on Second to Spring Street; makes a u-turn at Spring and heads north on Second Avenue to Thomas Street; finishes on Seattle Center grounds.

Seattle Children’s Kids Marathon: 10 a.m.

Staging at Fifth Avenue N between Mercer and Broad streets

3,800 participating

Marathon route: Starts at Fifth Avenue and Harrison Street; heads south on Fifth N to Broad Street; west on Broad to Denny Way; west on Denny to Second Avenue N; north on Second to Republican Street; west on Republican to Mercer Street; east on Mercer to Fourth Avenue N; south on Fourth into Memorial Stadium.

Streets will be reopened by 11 a.m.

Apple Cup: University of Washington Huskies vs Washington State University Cougars: 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.

CenturyLink Field

65,000 attending

Expect heavy traffic surrounding the stadium before and after the game.

Sunday, November 27:

Amica Insurance Seattle Marathon: 7:15 start

Starts and finishes at Seattle Center

15,000 runners and walkers

Marathon course: Runners and walkers leave in four separate waves between 7:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m.

Marathon assembles at Fifth Avenue and Harrison Street (Seattle Center). The route is south on Fifth Avenue; east on I-90 express lanes; makes a u-turn to west I-90, exits to S Day Street and moves south on 36th to Lakeside and Lake Washington Boulevard to Seward Park; enters Seward Park and goes counter-clockwise through the park loop and then north on to Lake Washington Boulevard, Lakeside and McGilvra; west on E Galer Street; E Madison Street; north on Lake Washington then onto Interlaken; west on Delmar and Roanoke; south on Boylston and Lakeview; west across the overpass to Eastlake and Roy Street; south on Eastlake; west on Republican; north on Dexter; west on Mercer; south on Fourth Avenue N; west on Republican; and finishes at Memorial Stadium.

The half-marathon will follow the same route except for the I-90 leg and the leg south to and around Seward Park.

Streets will reopen by 2:15 p.m.

Freeway closures:

I-90 express lanes closed between Seattle and Mercer Island from 4:45 to 11:15 a.m.

I-5 express lanes are closed 5 – 9 a.m.

Northbound I-5 exit to Lakeview Boulevard closed 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Two left-turn lanes to southbound Fairview Avenue from the Mercer Street off-ramp closed 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Westbound SR-520 exit to Roanoke Street closed 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Washington Redskins: 1:05- 4 p.m.
CenturyLink Field

65,000 attending

Expect heavy traffic surrounding the stadium before and after the game.