AllEvents

AllEvents in your city

Popular cities

Thanksgiving Events in Dayton 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Dayton 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 Dayton.

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 Dayton

All Thanksgiving events in Dayton 2026

Fri, Nov 132751 Washington Mill Rd, Bellbrook

Little Explorers November

Your toddler's next adventure is just a step outside! Each session is packed with hands-on fun, from discovering earth's wonders to exploring letters, numbers, shapes, colors, and so much more! Together we’ll make memories, build skills, and spark a lifel

10:30 AM

Sponsored

Fri, Nov 13East Butler County Family Y, Fairfield

Friday Night Out - Friends-giving!

Kids will celebrate friendship and everything they’re thankful for with games, crafts, PIZZA, and plenty of fun, while Mom and Dad enjoy some extra time to prepare for Turkey Day! Ages 3-5 will enjoy games, thankful crafts, and end with the Peanuts Mov

4:00 PM

Family friendly

Fri, Nov 13Sacred Mondays, Fairfield

A Punk Friendsgiving

Come Out & Celebrate Friendsgiving with the homies on Friday The 13th! Music By: Cam Against The Machine Counterfeit Goods MCRNR Misunderstood Scuffed Animals Nervous In Public Narwhal Express 5$ Cover ~ All Ages

6:00 PM

FriendsgivingFamily friendly

Sat, Nov 147967 Cincinnati Dayton Rd, Beckett Ridge

Free Practice ACT

� Big Dreams. Big Achievements. Your Student Could Be Next! Congratulations, Sanjay! � � Morrill Scholarship Winner � The Ohio State University | Class of 2026 At Class 101 Northeast Cincinnati, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to succ

9:00 AM

Sponsored

Sat, Nov 14Triple Moon Coffee Company, Middletown

5K Turkey Trot Fun Run and Walk

Come on, let's Turkey Trot! The Community Building Institute - Middletown's fifth annual Turkey Trot in Middletown Ohio, is on Nov 14th at Triple Moon Coffee Company. 10:00am start time. Gates open at 8:30am. Description: Proceeds from this fundraiser

10:00 AM

Turkey trot

Sat, Nov 14627 S Nelson Ave in Wilmington

Thanksgiving Food Giveaway

Compassion Wilmington Food Pantry Giveaway from 10am-Noon. This month we will give each family a turkey along with all the fix’ins! All Clinton County residents are eligible - just bring your ID for proof of address.

10:00 AM

Sat, Nov 145637 Union Centre Dr, Beckett Ridge

November Parents Night Out

🍂 Gratitude Gathering PNO 🍂 Join us for a special night filled with fun, friendship, and gratitude! Kids will enjoy festive games, crafts, activities, and plenty of gymnastics fun while celebrating all the things we’re thankful for. A perfect night to pla

6:00 PM

Family friendly

Sun, Nov 15Kettering Assembly of God

Friendsgiving

Please come join us for our annual Friendsgiving. Bring a share. Doors open at 5:30 and the event begins at six.

5:30 PM

Friendsgiving

Sun, Nov 155310 Packard Drive, Huber Heights

VOLZgiving - Potluck to Celebrate our Volunteers!

We're celebrating our volunteers with a FREE Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner. Sunday, November 15th at 5:30pm The Davis family and church will provide turkey, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, drinks, and paper products. Please bring a side item or dessert

5:30 PM

Dinner & brunchVolunteer

Sponsored

Sun, Nov 15530 E 5th St

Friendsgiving charcuterie board style

Come join us for a Friendsgiving charcuterie board style. Bring your best Charcuterie Board to share, get creative and have some fun. We will be having a contest for most creative and best looking charcuterie.

6:00 PM

Friendsgiving

Mon, Nov 1629 West First Street

A Very Special Reading of A Thanksgiving Visitor

Help us start the celebrations for Thanksgiving on Monday, November 16 with a very special evening at Rabbit Hole Books as Chad Wyckoff joins us to read aloud Truman Capote's fantastic story "A Thanksgiving Visitor". Pie will be served! The event is free

12:00 AM

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 Dayton

Turkey trots, dinners and parades in the towns nearby

Sponsored
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 Dayton: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Dayton in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Dayton run from Nov 13 to Nov 30, 2026: 100 events.

What is on in Dayton on Thanksgiving Day?

22 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including 🦃 FREE COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER 🦃, Glow & Gratitude: Friendsgiving Barre at Salsa City fitness and Gobble and Dash 5k Fundraiser at Frank Seaman Community Park.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Dayton?

13 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including VOLZgiving - Potluck to Celebrate our Volunteers!, Free Thanksgiving Buffet and Community Thanksgiving Dinner at National Trail Local School District. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Dayton?

Yes: 5K Turkey Trot Fun Run and Walk at Triple Moon Coffee Company (Sat, Nov 14), Wobble Gobble at Morris Reserve, Bellbrook Sugarcreek Park District (Sat, Nov 21) and 4th Annual Springfield Turkey Trot at South Center (Sat, Nov 21).

Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in Dayton?

VOLZgiving - Potluck to Celebrate our Volunteers! is looking for helping hands.

Are there free Thanksgiving events in Dayton?

Yes: 4 of the 100 listed are free, including Free Mahjong Open Play at the Cincinnati Open Sporting Club, A Meditation in Chocolate at Dayton Metro Library - Main and ALL Club Friendsgiving 2026 at Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley West Campus. Tickets for the rest run from $9.31 to $129.89.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Dayton?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are Turkey Trot at Riverfront Park (Thu, Nov 26), Dayton Silent Disco Charity Party for SICSA - Nov 25th - The Brightside at The Brightside Music & Event Venue (Nov 25–26) and 🦃 FREE COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER 🦃 (Thu, Nov 26).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Dayton?

Yes: 8 more events are listed within reach, in Cincinnati, Reading and Grove City.

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.