Celebrate Thanksgiving With the Free Good Gravy 5K Event

When Wichita Falls native Jay Burnam moved back home from North Carolina, he didn’t expect to start one of the city’s most beloved Thanksgiving traditions. But five years later, the Good Gravy 5K has become exactly that. This bad boy is a free, family-friendly run built entirely on community spirit and hot coffee.

“It started when I texted my sister-in-law, Julia, and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we had a Thanksgiving run?’” Burnam recalled with a laugh. “She took that as a green light to invite everyone we know.”

Free Good Gravy 5K brings community together on Thanksgiving

Julia Lamberth’s energy and organization turned a casual idea into a full-fledged annual event. Now in its fifth year, the Good Gravy 5K brings hundreds of Wichita Falls residents together at Hamilton Park for a simple mission: move your body, sip some cocoa, and celebrate the people around you.

“It’s still completely free,” Burnam emphasized. “All the raffle prizes are donated by local businesses, and our friends at Collective Coffee provide coffee and cocoa every year. It’s about being together, not competing.”

The run kicks off at 8:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, starting near the park’s splash pad. It’s intentionally kid-friendly, so families can enjoy the playground while others walk, jog, or “wog” (a term Burnam proudly uses for a walk-jog combo).

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For those who love a good souvenir, local print shop Digital Deviance is offering optional commemorative long-sleeve shirts for the event’s fifth anniversary. “They’re running it themselves, we don’t make a dime,” Burnam said. “It’s just a fun way to mark the milestone.”

“This thing’s grown beyond our control,” he said, smiling. “But in the best way possible.”

So this Thanksgiving, before the turkey, before the Cowboys game, and before the inevitable post-meal nap, Burnam hopes Wichita Falls shows up again, not for medals or times, but for connection.

“Get up early, grab some coffee, go run, go eat carbs, then cheer for the Cowboys,” Burnam joked. “It’s the perfect holiday routine.”