Thanksgiving morning in Fountain Hills is one of the largest single-day draws for visitors into the community for events. The annual Turkey Trot has a draw of runners in excess of 2,000 and the Thanksgiving Day Parade can expect that many to line Saguaro and Palisades boulevards to watch the event.

To accommodate these two events the town must close off most of the downtown streets, which can make it difficult for spectators and participants to get to where they need to be. This year, Community Services staff has worked out very specific directions for visitors to reach parking in the downtown area while main streets are blocked.

There are two areas where people are invited to park. One of those is the parking lots within the Cutillo Civic Plaza around Town Hall, the Community Center and Library/Museum. There are a lot of activities related to the Turkey Trot runners in this area beginning as early as 5:30 a.m. This area is designated as “parking lot A” by the town.

The second area for parking is the common lots within the downtown north of Avenue of the Fountains privately owned by the property owners. This is “parking lot B.”

Visitors coming into town from the west on Shea Boulevard (Scottsdale area) should use Palisades Blvd. and take it all the way into downtown. Those wishing to reach the A lot from Palisades should turn right at Fountain Hills Boulevard and go south to El Lago and east on El Lago, and use La Montana to reach the parking lot.

Those using Palisades who want to reach the B lot should continue to La Montana and turn right to access the parking lots.

Those coming from the east off the Beeline Highway should use Fountain Hills Boulevard from Shea to reach El Lago to La Montana for the A lot or Palisades to La Montana to reach the B lot.

When it comes time to exit the parking, people can simply reverse their access along Palisades or Fountain Hills boulevards to Shea Boulevard and out of town.

Street closures to accommodate the parade and the run will include Saguaro Boulevard between Kingstree Boulevard and La Montana Drive. There will be local traffic access between Kingstree and Panorama Drive. This year the parade entries will line up on Saguaro south of El Lago with parking for participants along the frontage between Colony and Panorama drives.

Avenue of the Fountains will be closed entirely between Saguaro and Palisades boulevards for the Turkey Trot race. El Lago and Palisades will be closed between La Montana and Saguaro.

Between the end of the Turkey Trot and start of the parade Avenue of the Fountains will reopen west of Verde River Drive to accommodate more traffic.