AllEvents

AllEvents in your city

Popular cities

Thanksgiving Events in Covington 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Covington 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 Covington.

See all events

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

AllEvents

Invite your family to dinner

Fill it in, then send it.

Listings updated

Curated by the AllEvents team, for you

Top Thanksgiving events in Covington

All Thanksgiving events in Covington 2026

On now

Nov 12–15Jellystone Park Natural Bridge, Natural Bridge Station4 days

Nov 12-15, 2026 Jellystone Park Natural Bridge - Friendsgiving, (Virginia Voyagers gathering)

Voyagers Friendsgiving Campout – Voyager Members Only November 13–15, 2026 📍 Jellystone Park Natural Bridge 16 Recreation Lane, Natural Bridge, VA Join us for our Friendsgiving Campout—and the final campout of the 2026 season! This year, all Saturday act

5:00 PM

FriendsgivingFamily friendly

Sponsored

Sun, Nov 151001 Stewart Ave Roanoke

FRIENDSGIVING

🍂 LET’S CELEBRATE FRIENDSGIVING! 🧡 The holidays are all about friendship, gratitude, good food, and spending time together! H.E.M.I. House of Hope invites you to join us for a special Friendsgiving celebration! Bring your friends, share a meal, and enjo

11:00 AM

Friendsgiving

Sun, Nov 1524822 Lee Hwy, Buchanan

Thankgiving Potluck Dinner - Cedar Bluff Baptist

Please remember that we will not be having Sunday School this week. We will have Worship together starting at 11am & then our Thanksgiving Dinner will follow. Turkey & ham will be provided. Please bring a dish to share. Join us for fellowship;

12:00 PM

Dinner & brunch

Sun, Nov 15Lakeside Baptist Church, Salem

Thanksgiving Concert of Love

We'd love to see you at our annual Thanksgiving Concert of Love on November 15th at Lakeside Baptist Church! Invite family, friends and come worship with us! Free admission, with a love offering accepted in support of Straight Street of the Roanoke Valley

4:00 PM

Live music

Sun, Nov 15600 Craig Ave, Salem

A Night of Thankful Worship

Join us for an evening of community praise and worship. Come and be blessed as we offer praise and thanksgiving together. Then stay for a short time of fellowship following the worship service and enjoy cookies, coffee, and hot chocolate with us. There

5:00 PM

Sponsored

Mon, Nov 16The Viginia Horse Center, Lexington

Rockbridge FriendsGiving® 2026 - Second Annual

🍂 Second Annual Rockbridge FriendsGiving® 2026 – Coming Soon! 🍂 We’re just getting things “in the oven” for our Second Annual Rockbridge FriendsGiving®. Rockbridge County is once again coming together to let the community know we care about them. 🦃 Good

4:00 PM

FriendsgivingLive music

Tue, Nov 171030 E Washington Street, Lewisburg

The One Where We Have Friendsgiving

Could we BE any more excited?! ❤️ It's time to gather our favorite people, share some delicious food, make memories, and celebrate friendship! Everyone bring a dish to share! Whether it's an appetizer, side, main dish, or dessert, bring something yummy

7:00 PM

Friendsgiving

Wed, Nov 18852 Paint Bank Rd New Castle VA 24127

Youth Friendsgiving 🦃🥧

🦃Youth Friendsgiving🦃 Join us for a special evening of food, fellowship, and a message from Pastor Lee Looney in the Fellowship Hall at Lighthouse Baptist Church on November 18,2026. This special event will take place of our Wednesday Evening Service.

7:00 PM

Friendsgiving

Thu, Nov 19Virginia Horse Center, Lexington

Rockbridge Friendsgiving

Mark Your Calendars for our second annual event!!!

5:00 PM

Friendsgiving

Sat, Nov 21Carilion Pediatric Medicine Tanglewood, Daleville

2026 International Survivor of Suicide Loss Day

ISOSLD stands for International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (also known as Survivor Day), an annual event supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Also known as Survivor Day, the day was designated by the United States Congres

9:00 AM

Sponsored

Nov 21 – Dec 19820 Washington Ave, Vinton29 days

Holiday Pop Up Market

Join us for the first Vinton Farmers Market holiday pop-up on **Saturday, November 21st, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.** 📍We’re bringing the market indoors to the Charles R. Hill Community Center. **820 East Washington Avenue, Vinton, VA** Stop by to browse u

10:00 AM

Market

Sat, Nov 211510 Baldwin Ave NE, Roanoke

Bake Sale & Pet Adoption Event

Come by the shelter and get some sweet treats for your Thanksgiving festivities with the proceeds going to Friends of RCACP and meet our available pets who are looking for their forever homes!

1:00 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.

Links go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, AllEvents earns from qualifying purchases.

Thanksgiving events near Covington

Turkey trots, dinners and parades in the towns nearby

Sponsored

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 Covington: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Covington in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Covington run from Nov 12 to Nov 28, 2026: 34 events.

What is on in Covington on Thanksgiving Day?

7 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including 2026 Drumstick Dash at Downtown Roanoke, 15th Annual Gobble Wobble Thanksgiving 5k & Fun Run at Maury River Middle School and TURKEY DAY TURN UP at Simply Fitness.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Covington?

6 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Thankgiving Potluck Dinner - Cedar Bluff Baptist, Community dinner at Roanoke, Virginia and Thanksgiving Service. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Covington?

Yes: 15th Annual Gobble Wobble Thanksgiving 5k & Fun Run at Maury River Middle School (Thu, Nov 26).

Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in Covington?

Fall Food Drive & Friendsgiving is looking for helping hands.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Covington?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are 2026 Drumstick Dash at Downtown Roanoke (Thu, Nov 26), 15th Annual Gobble Wobble Thanksgiving 5k & Fun Run at Maury River Middle School (Thu, Nov 26) and Lexington, VA Candlelight Processional & Community Tree Lighting at Downtown Lexington, VA (Fri, Nov 27).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Covington?

Yes: 6 more events are listed within reach, in Lynchburg, Roanoke, Altavista and Daniels.

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.