GIANT TURKEYS TAKE OVER MCKINNEY! ONE IS 25 FEET TALL!

More than 400 inflatable turkeys popped up across McKinney last year. Now the city is bringing back its Thanksgiving tradition — complete with a giant bird and a map to find them all.

Forget the Christmas lights for a minute. One North Texas city has a different kind of holiday obsession.

GIANT. INFLATABLE. TURKEYS.

And McKinney isn't messing around this year. There's even a 25-foot turkey joining the party!

The city's annual Inflatable Turkey Map is officially back for 2026, turning neighborhoods across McKinney into a Thanksgiving-themed scavenger hunt.

And yes, this is a real thing.

More Than 400 Turkeys. One Very Big Tradition.

Last year, more than 400 inflatable turkeys appeared in yards, on rooftops, and outside businesses across McKinney.

This year, Visit McKinney wants to make the flock even bigger.

Residents can register their inflatable turkeys on a digital map, give each bird a name, and even create a backstory.

Because apparently, putting a giant turkey in your front yard isn't enough. It needs a personality, too.

The map launched November 1, and visitors can use the McKinney TX! app to find participating displays throughout the city.

Wait Until You See the 25-Foot Turkey!

If hundreds of inflatable birds aren't enough, McKinney has added something even bigger for 2026.

Here's how to join the fun:

• Where: McKinney, Texas

• When: The 2026 Inflatable Turkey Map launched November 1.

• Giant turkey: Mitchell Park, beginning November 2.

• Cost: The digital turkey hunt is free.

A 25-foot inflatable turkey is scheduled to be on display beginning November 2 at Mitchell Park in McKinney.

That's more than two stories tall!

The giant bird is designed to be a holiday photo stop for families exploring the turkey trail.

And let's be serious. If you come across a 25-foot turkey, you're probably taking a picture.

It All Started With Seven Turkeys

Here's the best part of the story.

This entire tradition started in 2016 when a McKinney resident texted six neighbors with a simple idea: What if everyone put an inflatable turkey in their yard for Thanksgiving?

All six agreed.

Seven inflatable turkeys appeared that first year.

A decade later, the tradition has grown into a citywide attraction, earning McKinney the self-proclaimed title of “Inflatable Turkey Capital of Texas.”

Not exactly something you see on every city's welcome sign.

Want to Go Turkey Hunting?

You don't need your own inflatable turkey to join the fun.

Just open the digital map, choose a few stops, and explore the displays around McKinney.

You can even make an afternoon out of it by visiting Downtown McKinney and checking out the local shops along the way.

Find the map: Visit McKinney's Inflatable Turkey Map

And if you're a McKinney resident with an inflatable turkey of your own, you can register it to be included on the map.

Registered participants can also pick up a commemorative Inflatable Turkey Club magnet at Visit McKinney, 200 W. Virginia Street, beginning November 3, while supplies last. Check office hours and pickup availability before visiting.

Only in North Texas!

Some cities decorate for Thanksgiving.

McKinney turns it into a full-blown turkey takeover.

So if you're looking for something a little different to do this November, grab your phone, pull up the map, and go find some oversized birds.

Just remember to admire residential displays from the sidewalk or street.

And if you spot that 25-foot turkey, we definitely want to see the picture!

Keep checking B96Dallas.com for more unusual stories, local happenings, and things to do across Dallas/Fort Worth.