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Thanksgiving Events in Bismarck 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Bismarck 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 Bismarck.

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You’re warmly invited

to

ThanksgivingDinner

Date
Thursday, November 26
Time
4:00 PM

“Come hungry and bring your stories. There’s always room at our table.”

With love,Your name

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Curated by the AllEvents team, for you

Top Thanksgiving events in Bismarck

All Thanksgiving events in Bismarck 2026

Sponsored
On now

Sun, Nov 15Almont, North Dakota

🦃 TURKEY & TRIMMINGS BINGO! 🦃

🦃🍁 TURKEY & TRIMMINGS BINGO! 🍁🦃 PLAY BINGO • WIN YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER! Join Woman’s Life Chapter 745 for a fun afternoon of Bingo while supporting our local Almont American Legion Auxiliary Post 261! ❤️ 📅 Sunday, November 15, 2026 📍 Almont Leg

2:00 PM

Dinner & brunch

On now

Sun, Nov 15Theo Art School

POP UP KIDS EVENT! TURKEY TIME! THIS TURKEY IS CUTE! EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

POP UP KIDS EVENT! TURKEY TIME! THIS TURKEY IS CUTE! EVERYONE IS WELCOME! Sun Nov 15th 3:00pm - 4:30pm 🦃 Looking for a fun, creative afternoon for the little ones? Bring them to our Pop-Up Kids Event: Turkey Time! 🎨 🎨 What: Paint a super cute Thanksgivi

3:00 PM

Family friendly

On now

Sun, Nov 15Salem UCC New Salem ND

New Salem Community Church Service

"How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!" Psalm 133:1 Join us and 6 other area churches on November 15th for our 3rd Community Church service at Salem UCC in New Salem. Bring a canned food donation for New Salem Hunger Relie

6:30 PM

Volunteer

Wed, Nov 18Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Washburn

Hunting & Harvest Floral Arrangement Workshop

Create a Thanksgiving-ready arrangement highlighting themes of abundance and gratitude. Join us for the second class in a hands-on floral arranging series this fall, offering an opportunity to learn a new s

5:30 PM

$59.99

Sponsored

Wed, Nov 18211 West Main Street, Mandan

Thanksgiving Workout Pop-Up Class

A class combination filled with gratitude, exercise, arts and crafts. A self paced workout that will incorporate different styles of movement and equipment and be fun. Class Fee: $15 (included in your class passes / monthly memberships)

6:00 PM

Sat, Nov 21Wilton City Memorial Hall

Turkey Bingo & Meat Raffle

The Wilton Lions are hosting another Turkey Bingo & Meat Raffle, just in time for Thanksgiving! Bring the family for some Saturday evening fun! Saturday, November 21 from 7-9pm at the Wilton Memorial Hall Snacks and lemonade will be served. This ye

7:00 PM

Sun, Nov 22205 Colt Ave

Thanksgiving Service

You are invited to join our church family as we give praise and thanks to God for His blessings, care, guidance, and protection over our church family, individually and corporately, this past year. We will sing together, read Scripture, and share testimon

6:00 PM

Sun, Nov 22Eden Med Spa

Reiki with Meditation

This Thanksgiving, take a moment to quiet your mind and open your heart to gratitude. Through meditation, we release the heaviness we carry, honor the blessings and lessons of life, and make room for love, peace, and healing. Let your heart be filled with

6:30 PM

Mon, Nov 23101 Slate Dr

5th Annual Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Giveaway!

Stop by our office Monday, November 23rd from 1pm-5pm to pick up a FREE pumpkin pie for your Thanksgiving celebration! Everyone is welcome! 1 pie per household! *while supplies last*

1:00 PM

Sponsored

Tue, Nov 24Dakota Nuts-N-Candy

Thanksgiving Cornucopia Bouquet

Brighten your Thanksgiving table with a cornucopia bouquet that you make! Cost is $60 to include all supplies. Please call 255-3312 to register.

6:00 PM

Tue, Nov 24The Jousting Lemur

Dirty Bingo Thanksgiving

GOBBLE, GOBBLE… LET'S GET NAUGHTY! 😈🦃 🍷 THANKSGIVING DIRTY BINGO IS BACK! 🍷 Got family coming to town for Thanksgiving? Friends you haven't seen in forever? Looking for something FUN to do before the holiday madness begins? BRING THEM TO DIRTY BINGO! 😂

7:00 PM

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.

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Thanksgiving events near Bismarck

Turkey trots, dinners and parades in the towns nearby

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.

  1. 1621After their first harvest, the Plymouth colonists hold three days of feasting. Massasoit arrives with about 90 Wampanoag men, who bring five deer.
  2. 1789George Washington proclaims the first national day of thanksgiving, for Thursday, 26 November.
  3. 1846–63Sarah Josepha Hale, the magazine editor who wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, writes to five presidents asking for one national day.
  4. 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.
  5. 1896Buffalo runs its first YMCA Turkey Trot, now the oldest footrace held every year in North America — a year older than the Boston Marathon.
  6. 1924Macy’s holds its first parade in New York, with animals from the Central Park Zoo. The giant balloons arrive in 1927.
  7. 1934The Detroit Lions play on Thanksgiving for the first time, and football becomes part of the afternoon.
  8. 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.
  9. 1957Canada settles on the second Monday of October for its own Thanksgiving, which goes back to 1578.
  10. 1989George H. W. Bush gives the first formal presidential turkey pardon, now a White House tradition.

Thanksgiving in Bismarck: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Bismarck in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Bismarck run from Nov 12 to Nov 28, 2026: 22 events.

What is on in Bismarck on Thanksgiving Day?

3 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including Planksgiving at Club Pilates, Battle Bunker Friends-Giving and Thanksgiving Cornhole Tournament.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Bismarck?

3 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including 🦃 TURKEY & TRIMMINGS BINGO! 🦃 at Almont, North Dakota, Monthly Dinner for All: Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Leftovers Slime! at Shenanigans. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Bismarck?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are A Bismarck Friendsgiving at Eclipse Venue (Wed, Nov 25), TRIVIA at Laughing Sun: Friends' Friendsgiving Episodes (Wed, Nov 25) and Little Kids, Big World: Thanksgiving Turkeys at North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum (Sat, Nov 21).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Bismarck?

Yes: 2 more events are listed within reach, in Beulah.

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.