On Wednesday, November 25, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., runners entered in the 30A 10K Thanksgiving Day Races have one place to pick up their bibs. That place is The Big Chill at 7000 E County Hwy 30A in Watersound. The organizer has no race-day pickup, so every runner in the field comes through the food hall the day before Thanksgiving.
The next morning the course comes back to that same stretch of road. The 10K turns around at Bridge Lane, just east of The Big Chill, and 30A is closed to all traffic from Rosemary Beach to that point. The Big Chill itself stays closed all day Thanksgiving.
For anyone living along the east end, this is how the holiday week plays out. The food hall runs the days before and after the holiday, and the morning it's closed is the morning the road outside it closes too.
Tuesday and Wednesday Fill the Hall
The holiday stretch at The Big Chill begins Tuesday, November 24. The Big Chill's November calendar has Face Paint with Uniquely Clever Art from 5 to 7 p.m. that evening and a DJ Dance Party from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Also on Tuesday, at 5 p.m., the race's official Shake Out Run meets at Idyll Hounds Brewery in Santa Rosa Beach for runners who want an easy loop before the holiday.
On Wednesday the hall is busiest. Live music runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the same hours that packet pickup opens. The evening ends with NFL on the Jumbotron, Packers vs. Rams, at 7 p.m. That gives the food hall nearly a full day of holiday traffic, with runners, families and football fans coming in at different hours.
The race supports local causes. Its 2026 charity partners are Children in Crisis, Bailey Brigade, Habitat for Humanity of Walton County and Children's Volunteer Health Network.
Thursday Morning, 30A Closes at Bridge Lane
The organizer's course maps page states the closure plainly:
"Highway 30A will be CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC on Thursday, November 26th, 2026 from 7:00AM to 10:30AM. The road closure will begin at East Water Street (Start/Finish line) in Rosemary Beach and extend to the 10K turn around at Bridge Lane just east of The Big Chill."
Watersound households have a second closure to plan around. Watersound Parkway is closed for the 5K route from its intersection with 30A north to the Camp Creek Inn entrance.
Here is the morning in order, using the organizer's published times:
- 7:00 a.m. 30A closes from East Water Street to Bridge Lane.
- 7:30 a.m. The 10K starts in Rosemary Beach, heads east toward the Bridge Lane turnaround and returns.
- 7:35 a.m. The one-mile fun run starts.
- 9:30 a.m. The 5K starts, and its route uses Watersound Parkway up to the Camp Creek Inn entrance.
- 10:30 to 11 a.m. The 30A closure ends. The event schedule lists 10:30 a.m., and the race FAQ gives 11 a.m., so plan around the later time.
Start and finish are both at Barrett Square in Rosemary Beach, with awards and a post-race celebration there afterward. The race FAQ calls race-day parking limited. It suggests parking north of U.S. 98 at 30Avenue and walking to Rosemary Beach through the underground pedestrian path. If you live in Watersound and have guests coming to run, that path is the route the organizer itself points to.
The 5K route along Watersound Parkway ends at Camp Creek Inn, one of five St. Joe hotels on 30A. 30A.com reported that all five, including Camp Creek Inn and Watersound Inn, were open and taking new reservations as of October 12 after Hurricane Isaias. The same report said some beach access points, beach club facilities and golf courses were still limited during cleanup. Walton County's Hurricane Isaias update page was updated October 29 and still lists separate status sections for businesses, beach access and multi-use paths. Check it before planning a morning around the beach.
Thanksgiving Dinner Happens Elsewhere
The Big Chill's calendar lists "CLOSED for the holiday!" for all of November 26, so the place that hosted runners the day before doesn't serve a holiday meal. Closer to home, Thanksgiving dinner on the east end runs through restaurants on the north side of U.S. 98 and in Rosemary Beach.
At 30Avenue, Chef Tim Creehan's Cuvee 30A serves its Thanksgiving tradition, featuring Louisiana Fried Turkey, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Published prices are $99.99 for adults and $49.99 for children under 10. Turkey-to-go is not offered, and the restaurant's Thanksgiving page recommends reserving early. 30Avenue is also where the race suggests parking, so a table there works well after the morning's events.
In Rosemary Beach, Havana Beach Bar & Grill at The Pearl runs a Thanksgiving Day Brunch Buffet from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. It includes a prime rib carving station, and reservations are required at 850-588-2882. Edward's in Rosemary Beach offers Thanksgiving meals to take home for households that would rather eat in.
Friday and Saturday Bring It Back
The food hall reopens the day after Thanksgiving with a long day of College Football on the Jumbotron, listed from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, November 27.
The same Friday, a few minutes west, Alys Beach holds Alys in Winter Wonderland at the Alys Beach Amphitheatre from 4 to 6:30 p.m. There's a holiday concert, festive activities, and a tree lighting with Santa at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free, some activities cost extra, and activity lines close at 5:45 p.m.
On Saturday, November 28, Santa comes to The Big Chill for Pictures with Santa from 9 a.m. to noon. College football returns at 11 a.m.
| Day | At The Big Chill | On the road and nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Nov 24 | Face Paint 5–7 p.m.; DJ Dance Party 6–9:30 p.m. | Shake Out Run, Idyll Hounds Brewery, 5 p.m. |
| Wed, Nov 25 | Packet pickup 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; live music 11 a.m.–2 p.m.; Packers vs. Rams 7 p.m. | No race-day pickup follows |
| Thu, Nov 26 | Closed all day | 30A closed from 7 a.m. until 10:30 or 11 a.m., East Water Street to Bridge Lane; Watersound Parkway closed for the 5K |
| Fri, Nov 27 | College football 11 a.m.–10 p.m. | Alys in Winter Wonderland 4–6:30 p.m., tree lighting 6:30 p.m. |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Pictures with Santa 9 a.m.–noon; college football from 11 a.m. | None listed |
The Weeks on Either Side
Outside the holiday week, the food hall goes back to its regular weekly schedule. Monday Art Studio with Sparkleberry meets November 16 and 30 from 10 a.m. to noon. Steve's Music Bingo, a family game night, runs November 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. College Football on the Jumbotron shows Florida State vs. Pittsburgh on Friday, November 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. NFL games play on Sundays at noon and on Monday and Thursday nights at 7 p.m.
December follows a similar pattern of regular nights plus a few dates to plan around. The Big Chill's December calendar has Steve's Trivia on December 2 and 16, Steve's Music Bingo on December 9, and a DJ Dance Party with DJ Dan on December 11. The hall also closes for one full day for a holiday party. The calendar puts it on December 8, and the listing's description gives the 9th, so call ahead before going on either day. The public holiday event is on December 18, from noon to 4 p.m., with Pictures with Santa and a Holiday Market. The calendar shows the hall closed December 24 and 25, then a New Year's Eve celebration from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on December 31.
The other holiday event for Watersound is at The Pavilion at Watersound Town Center, 85 Origins Main St. The free First Friday Concert Series there is presented by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County and The St. Joe Community Foundation. The season's last show is Michelle Malone & The Hot Toddies on Friday, December 4. Watersound's event listing runs it from 6 to 9 p.m., and 30A.com asks guests to bring a chair.
If you own a home between Barrett Square and Bridge Lane, or off Watersound Parkway, closures like Thanksgiving morning's affect how the street works for you. When you want to know how that stretch of 30A is valued and moving, Anderson Group 30A can put it in writing. Get your custom 30A market report.
