Sat, Nov 287:00 AM
Shop Small in Downtown Bangor on Small Business Saturday
33 State Street
Thanksgiving Events in Bangor 2026
Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Bangor with festive dinners, brunches, buffets, Turkey Trots, parades, family-friendly activities, Friendsgiving parties, holiday markets, volunteer opportunities, food drives, cruises, and seasonal events. Whether you're planning a traditional Thanksgiving feast or looking for unique things to do, discover the best Thanksgiving events happening in Bangor.
Listings updated
Curated by the AllEvents team, for you
Top Thanksgiving events in Bangor
All Thanksgiving events in Bangor 2026
Wed, Nov 4James W Williams American Legion Post 12 Bangor Maine
Post 12's November 2026 Meeting
Our November monthly meeting will be held on Wednesday, 04 November 2026 from 1800-1900 in our rooms on the 2nd floor at the Bangor Armory at 647 Main Street. Please try to attend. An elevator is available for people for whom climbing stairs is difficult.
Thu, Nov 1955 Fletcher Drive, Palmyra
Run Club w/Amanda
🏃♀️HOMETOWN Health Center Run Club Join us on November 19, 2026 from 6:00 - 7:00PM on the indoor track at HOMETOWN Health Center. Whether you're a seasoned runner, a casual walker, or just look to meet new people, we'd love to have you join us! ✓ No mem
Mon, Nov 23110 Library St, Pittsfield
Story Time Reads Dino-Thanksgiving!
Come learn about Thanksgiving through the eyes of dinosaurs! Join Miss Cassidy and her Story Time friends as they read the book, then enjoy a fun craft and some movement after.
Tue, Nov 24335 Bennoch Road PO BOX 365, Old Town
Stillwater Federated Church Pie Sale!
Come and get your pies for Thanksgiving dinner! We can't wait to see you there.
Dinner & brunch
Thu, Nov 26Traci's Diner, Belfast
Thanksgiving 2026
Come and join us for our annual Thanksgiving dinner! Cost is by donation, no one is turned away!
Dinner & brunchVolunteer
Fri, Nov 27Downtown Bangor
Plaid Friday in Downtown Bangor
Avoid the lines, stress, and the hunting for parking spots that come with the typical retail places on the Friday after Thanksgiving! Instead, sleep in and join us in Downtown Bangor for Plaid Friday, a celebration of local and independent small busines
Thanksgiving table decor and hosting essentials
From the thermometer that saves the turkey to the tablecloth, the kids’ table and a hat for the Turkey Trot. Check delivery dates before you order.
Links go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, AllEvents earns from qualifying purchases.
- Host
Instant-read thermometerThe one tool between a dry bird and a juicy oneShop on Amazon - Host
Roasting pan with rackLifts the turkey so it browns all overShop on Amazon - Host
Food warming matEvery side still warm when the last guest sitsShop on Amazon - Guest
Casserole carrierFor the dish you promised to bring, 9×13Shop on Amazon - Table
Thanksgiving tableclothAutumn leaves for the long tableShop on Amazon - Table
Cheesecloth table runnerSoft and gathered, this year’s table lookShop on Amazon - Table
Gratitude conversation cardsSomething to talk about besides the gameShop on Amazon - Kids
Coloring tableclothKeeps the kids’ table busy till pieShop on Amazon - Friendsgiving
Plates and napkins setFor Friendsgiving, and no washing upShop on Amazon - Run
Turkey hatRun the Turkey Trot dressed for dinnerShop on Amazon
Thanksgiving events near Bangor
Turkey trots, dinners and parades in the towns nearby
On now
Sat, Nov 715 Mariner Lane, Jefferson
November Yoga Classes at the Treehouse Studio
Sat, Nov 141 Limerock St, Rockport
Saturday Morning Family Art Class- Thanksgiving Edition!
Sat, Nov 2833 State Street
Shop Small in Downtown Bangor on Small Business Saturday
Sat, Nov 2880 Union Street, Rockland
Festival of Lights Silent Auction & Raffle
Since 1621
The history of Thanksgiving
It began with a harvest. In the autumn of 1621, the Plymouth colonists and their Wampanoag neighbours shared three days of food in a good year. Nobody called it Thanksgiving then. It took two more centuries, a determined editor and a president in the middle of a war to turn it into the day we know: a Thursday in November for family, food and being grateful.
Most of what fills the day now came later. The parade, the football, the morning Turkey Trot and the long table of sides were added by one generation after another, which is why every family’s Thanksgiving looks a little different.
- 1621After their first harvest, the Plymouth colonists hold three days of feasting. Massasoit arrives with about 90 Wampanoag men, who bring five deer.
- 1789George Washington proclaims the first national day of thanksgiving, for Thursday, 26 November.
- 1846–63Sarah Josepha Hale, the magazine editor who wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, writes to five presidents asking for one national day.
- 1863In the middle of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln makes the last Thursday of November a national Thanksgiving. It has been kept every year since.
- 1896Buffalo runs its first YMCA Turkey Trot, now the oldest footrace held every year in North America — a year older than the Boston Marathon.
- 1924Macy’s holds its first parade in New York, with animals from the Central Park Zoo. The giant balloons arrive in 1927.
- 1934The Detroit Lions play on Thanksgiving for the first time, and football becomes part of the afternoon.
- 1939–41Franklin Roosevelt moves the day a week earlier to lengthen the shopping season. People call it “Franksgiving”, so Congress fixes it for good: the fourth Thursday of November.
- 1957Canada settles on the second Monday of October for its own Thanksgiving, which goes back to 1578.
- 1989George H. W. Bush gives the first formal presidential turkey pardon, now a White House tradition.
Thanksgiving in Bangor: frequently asked questions
When are Thanksgiving events in Bangor in 2026?
Thanksgiving events in Bangor run from Nov 4 to Nov 28, 2026: 10 events.
What is on in Bangor on Thanksgiving Day?
One event is listed for Thursday, November 26, including Thanksgiving 2026 at Traci's Diner.
Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Bangor?
2 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Stillwater Federated Church Pie Sale! and Thanksgiving 2026 at Traci's Diner. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.
What are the best Thanksgiving events in Bangor?
The most popular on AllEvents right now are Shop Small in Downtown Bangor on Small Business Saturday (Sat, Nov 28), All Souls Annual Bazaar at All Souls Congregational Church (Sat, Nov 14) and MVP Thanksgiving GiveBack at Bangor Elks BPOE #244 (Sat, Nov 21).
Are there Thanksgiving events near Bangor?
Yes: 7 more events are listed within reach, in Bar Harbor, Jefferson, Augusta and Rockport and more.
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
In the United States, Thursday, November 26, 2026 — always the fourth Thursday of November. Canada celebrates earlier, on Monday, October 12, the second Monday of October.
What is Friendsgiving?
A Thanksgiving meal shared with friends rather than family, usually on a day near the holiday. Many restaurants and bars host Friendsgiving dinners and parties, so you can skip the cooking.
Do I need to book Thanksgiving dinner in advance?
Yes, as early as you can. Restaurants serving a Thanksgiving menu often fill up a week or more ahead, and many offer a set menu at fixed seatings on the day.