Rosemary Beach has two November traditions that started about the same time and turn 15 in November, and both are staged within a short walk of each other in town center. Rosemary Beach Uncorked takes over Town Hall and Town Hall Green on Saturday, November 14. The 15th Annual 30A 10K Thanksgiving Day Races start and finish at Barrett Square on Thursday, November 26. The day after the race, a tree lighting has been reported for South Barrett Square. Taken together, Barrett Square goes from start line to after-party to holiday stage in about 36 hours.
That's why Thanksgiving week is the most scheduled week of the fall in Rosemary Beach. Something is happening in or near town center on five of the seven days. Thursday morning's 30A closure is the piece that shapes everyone else's plans, whether they're running or not.
For the beach side, The Pearl posted on October 22 that its hotel amenities and beach services were running normally after Hurricane Isaias and that guests could use the main Rosemary Beach boardwalk. The town heads into November with its usual footprint.
Uncorked turns 15 already sold out
Rosemary Beach Uncorked runs Saturday, November 14, from 1 to 4 p.m. The event's own site says it has been "toasting since 2010." General tickets are gone. The site says the event is sold out and points people to a wait list in case previously purchased tickets come back up.
Rosemary Beach Merchants organizes it, and the food comes from the town's own kitchens. The ticket listing names ten participating food businesses, including Tahona, Havana Beach Bar & Grill, Pescado, La Crema and Restaurant Paradis. Tahona Tacos & Tequileria is listed on Town Hall Road, so for some of these restaurants the tasting is only a few doors from their own dining room.
New for the 15th year is a VIP Experience ticket. It includes:
- Access to the Audi Lounge inside Town Hall and a VIP tent on Town Hall Green
- An extra hour, until 5 p.m., at both spots for VIP ticket holders only
- Winemaker Tom Garrett pouring from Dakota Shy Winery
- Bites from Chef Rob McDaniel of Helen in Birmingham, Alabama
- A caviar tasting, caviar nachos, signature cocktails and a mimosa bar
- SEC games on big screens in the Audi Lounge
The SEC screens are a good reminder that November 14 is a college football Saturday. With tasting crowds, game-day viewers and the extra VIP hour, Town Hall Green stays busy until 5 p.m. If you don't have a ticket, the afternoon around the green will still be crowded, so plan your errands and dinner around that.
Thanksgiving week, day by day
Uncorked is one Saturday. The week of November 23 has something on almost every day, and most of it lands within a few blocks of Barrett Square.
- Tuesday, November 24. Pittman's Holiday Spectacular has been listed for the Rosemary Beach Amphitheater at 2 p.m., according to a 2026 holiday guide from a local vacation rental company.
- Wednesday, November 25. Race packet pickup runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Big Chill, 7000 E County Hwy 30A in Watersound. There's no packet pickup on race day.
- Thursday, November 26. The 30A 10K, 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run start and finish at Barrett Square, and the awards and post-race party follow in North Barrett Square.
- Friday, November 27. That same holiday guide lists the Rosemary Beach Tree Lighting for 6 p.m. in South Barrett Square. Last year the Rosemary Beach Merchants Association organized it on the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 28, 2025, in the same square. As of now, the town's own event page still shows the 2025 listing, so watch for an official 2026 post.
- Saturday, November 28. Nothing is listed in Rosemary Beach itself. Along 30A, the WaterColor Old Florida Holiday & Winter Market and Seaside's Holiday Parade and Turn on the Town are both that day, according to the 30A events calendar.
- Sunday, November 29. The 30A Farmers' Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Rosemary Beach, as it does every Sunday of the year.
The merchants who put on Uncorked are also behind the tree lighting, so town center's own businesses organize the mid-month wine afternoon and the post-Thanksgiving lighting. That explains why so much of November happens on the squares and greens.
Thanksgiving morning, by the clock
The race is the one event on this list that closes a road. The 30A 10K course maps page says Highway 30A will be closed to all traffic on Thursday, November 26, from 7:00 to 10:30 a.m. The closure runs from East Water Street, the start and finish line in Rosemary Beach, to the 10K turnaround at Bridge Lane just east of The Big Chill. Watersound Parkway also closes for the 5K, from its intersection with 30A north to the Camp Creek Inn entrance.
| Time on Nov. 26 | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7:00 a.m. | 30A closes from East Water Street to Bridge Lane |
| 7:30 a.m. | 10K starts |
| 7:35 a.m. | 1-Mile Fun Run starts |
| 9:30 a.m. | 5K starts, using Watersound Parkway |
| 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. | 30A reopens, depending on which race page you read |
The organizers' own pages don't agree on the reopening time. The course maps page says 10:30 a.m. The race FAQ says the road stays closed until 11:00 a.m. If you have to drive somewhere Thanksgiving morning, like picking up a relative or getting a pie to someone's table, plan on the later time and check the race's traffic guidance again that week.
The 5K start is the one people forget. The 10K and the fun run go off within five minutes of each other, but the 5K starts two hours later. That puts a second wave of runners on the course in the last hour of the closure, and on Watersound Parkway as well as 30A.
Parking near the start is limited. The race FAQ suggests parking at 30Avenue on the north side of Highway 98 and walking into Rosemary Beach through the underground walking path. If friends or family are coming from outside town to watch, that's the route to send them.
As for how many people are coming, 2026 coverage from 30A.com says only that thousands of runners and spectators are expected. For last year's race, Walton County's 2025 permit projected 3,000 to 3,500 participants. That permit also laid out the 2025 routes. The 10K ran from Rosemary Beach to the Watersound Beach entrance and back, the 5K went toward Camp Creek Parkway and back, and the 1-mile run went from Rosemary Beach to Alys Beach and back.
Where the race money goes
Every registration supports four charity partners: Children in Crisis, Bailey Brigade, Habitat for Humanity of Walton County and Children's Volunteer Health Network. So the morning that closes the road also funds groups working across the county.
In its 2026 race preview, 30A.com quoted Justin Schwab, development manager at Children in Crisis: "The overwhelming participation, preparation and dedication shown through this partnership created a direct and lasting impact on the lives of vulnerable children throughout Northwest Florida."
If you'd rather not run, the 30A 10K website lists volunteer opportunities along with course maps and charity details. The 30A.com preview also says custom sponsorship packages are available for local businesses for the 2026 race.
After the square goes quiet
Once the tree lighting is done, the town center calendar slows down. The Sunday market keeps its usual 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. hours, and no early-December events in Rosemary Beach itself have been posted yet. Nearby, the Seaside Holiday Market is on the 30A calendar for Saturday, December 5.
In Rosemary Beach, the next date to book after Thanksgiving is a Christmas table. Havana Beach Bar & Grill at The Pearl lists holiday prix-fixe seatings on Thursday, December 24, from 4 to 8 p.m., and Friday, December 25, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and says reservations are highly recommended.
Are you hosting family over Thanksgiving week and trying to work out the morning closure? Or are you thinking about how that week of foot traffic through Barrett Square affects a home you might list next season? Either way, I'm glad to talk it through. Chris Closes offers a free consultation, and if you're curious what your Rosemary Beach home is worth heading into the winter, you can get a home valuation.
