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Thanksgiving events in Chicago

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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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Top Thanksgiving events in Chicago

All Thanksgiving events in Chicago 2026

On now

Nov 10–24Fathom15 days

Seasoned Tuesdays with Taylor's Tacos at Fathom!

For three Tuesdays this November Taylor's Tacos takes over Fathom with event offerings supporting their food pop up in Lakeview. Taylor's Tacos is giving you three reasons to leave the hous

5:00 PM

Free

Sponsored

Nov 13–15Don't Forget The Gobbler Before The Gathering!, Oak3 days

Don't Forget The Gobbler Before The Gathering

Get your gobbler game on and gear up for the ultimate pre-gathering feast! BOSCO’S MARKETPLACE PRESENTS: DON’T FORGET THE GOBBLER BEFORE THE GATHERING! OAK FOREST FALL EVENT 2026 Befor

4:00 PM

FreeDinner & brunch

Nov 13–14Music Box Theatre2 days

Screenings of THE ADDAMS FAMILY and ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES

YOU RANG...? November 13 & 14, gather with the spooky side of your chosen family as we set holiday traditions ablaze with creepy, kooky, and altogether ooky late-nite screenings of THE ADDAMS FAMILY (1991) and ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES (1993)! Co-presented

11:30 PM

Sat, Nov 14Global Brew Tap House, Schaumburg

Aura Matchmaking Event | Age Group 21 to 40

Join us for the Aura Matchmaking Event, where singles 21-40 connect and vibe in person! Welcome to Aura Matchmaking! As we wrap up an incredible year of connection, Aura Matchmaking

2:00 PM

$28.52 – $81.86

Sponsored

Sat, Nov 14The Wine Goddess, Evanston

4:30-6:00 PM Session: Thanksgiving Mega-Tasting

Join us for a walk-around tasting of our fave, Thanksgiving-centric and Fall-themed wines! The Thanksgiving Mega-Tasting is our biggest tasting event of the year!! Four tables, five wines a piece, featurin

4:30 PM

$44.52

Sat, Nov 14450 W. Menomonee st.

Parents Night Out

🍂 Parents' Night Out: Thanksgiving Bake-Off at Little Learners Academy! Need a date night or a few hours to yourself before the holiday craziness begins? Let us take the kiddos off your hands! Join us on Saturday, November 14, from 5:00–8:00 PM for our

5:00 PM

Sun, Nov 15Lake Ellyn Boathouse, Glen Ellyn

Friendsgiving: The 6th Annual Glen Ellyn Wine Festival

Join us in the heart of Glen Ellyn at the Lake Ellyn Boathouse for an afternoon of wine, friendship, and giving thanks! Gather your favorite people and raise a glass to good company, great wine, and the sea

2:00 PM

$71.21FriendsgivingLive music

Wed, Nov 18Buzzed by ZEA - Salon & Bar

Thanksgiving Wine Tasting

Get inspired this Holiday and learn how to pair wine with your Thanksgiving meal. The Wine Tasting — Thanksgiving Edition 🍷Wednesday, November 18 · 6:30 PMHosted by wine educator Henry Jensen, WSET Level 3<

6:30 PM

$71.21

Sponsored

Thu, Nov 19600 W Chicago Ave

600 West - Turkey Trot

Join us Nov. 19 for the first annual 600 West Turkey Trot 5K! Run, walk, give back, and support the Greater Chicago Food Depository! Lace Up for a Cause! 🦃 Join us for the F

7:30 AM

Free – $30Turkey trot

Thu, Nov 19Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago

Friendsgiving Float-In

Join us for a Friendsgiving Float-In featuring two rom-com classics, a Thanksgiving-inspired buffet, popcorn, drinks & more! Gather your favorite people and settle in for a cozy Friendsgiving celebratio

6:00 PM

$100.88Dinner & brunchFriendsgiving

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 Chicago

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 Chicago: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Chicago in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Chicago run from Nov 10 to Nov 28, 2026: 100 events.

What is on in Chicago on Thanksgiving Day?

20 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including St. Charles Turkey Trot at St. Charles North High School, 32nd Annual Village of Gurnee Jon Callaghan Memorial Turkey Trot and 92nd Chicago Thanksgiving Parade at State Street (Downtown Chicago).

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Chicago?

18 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Don't Forget The Gobbler Before The Gathering at Don't Forget The Gobbler Before The Gathering!, JoJo’s Feast Mode: A Friendsgiving Celebration & Celebrity Chef Showdown at Rockwell on the River and Friendsgiving Float-In at Trump International Hotel & Tower® Chicago. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Chicago?

Yes: 600 West - Turkey Trot (Thu, Nov 19), Lincolnwood Turkey Trot at Henry Proesel Park (Sun, Nov 22) and Long Grove Turkey Trot (Wed, Nov 25).

Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in Chicago?

Insight Chicago Annual Turkey Drive is looking for helping hands.

Are there free Thanksgiving events in Chicago?

Yes: 25 of the 100 listed are free, including Seasoned Tuesdays with Taylor's Tacos at Fathom!, Don't Forget The Gobbler Before The Gathering at Don't Forget The Gobbler Before The Gathering! and Almost Sold Out - Chicago Holiday Cocktail Tasting Festival - Nov 14 at Utopian Tailgate. Tickets for the rest run from $11.20 to $538.66.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Chicago?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are 92nd Chicago Thanksgiving Parade at State Street (Downtown Chicago) (Thu, Nov 26), Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade at Downtown Chicago (Thu, Nov 26) and JoJo’s Feast Mode: A Friendsgiving Celebration & Celebrity Chef Showdown at Rockwell on the River (Tue, Nov 17).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Chicago?

Yes: 1 more event is listed within reach.

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.