Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and, whether you’re staying around town or hitting the road to visit with friends and family, the staff of The Times wishes everyone in the community a safe and happy holiday.

If you’re staying local, remember that the Thanksgiving festivities begin bright and early Thursday morning, Nov. 21, with the annual Turkey Trot. Even if you don’t plan on taking part in this year’s run, feel free to head downtown at 7:15 a.m. to cheer on the participants. Plus, you’ll have a better chance of getting a great seat for the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, which takes place in the downtown area beginning at 9 a.m.

For those of you planning to end your Thanksgiving with some early holiday shopping, several local businesses will be open for Black Friday. That will be followed by “Shop Local Saturday,” a national promotion meant to encourage folks to keep mom and pop shops in mind while taking care of those holiday lists. There are a lot of local businesses to consider, so remember that you can take care of plenty of holiday business without ever having to head out of town.

For more details about Thanksgiving activities, parade parking and holiday closures, be sure to check out The Times’ reporting on page 1A of this week’s issue.