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Thanksgiving Events in Dover 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Dover 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 Dover.

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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 Dover

All Thanksgiving events in Dover 2026

Fri, Nov 63 Bow Center Road

Kids Night Out- Turkey Trot! Creative Kids Clubhouse

Creative Kids Clubhouse is back with another popular Kids Fun Friday Night this Friday... Turkey Trot! Gobble Gobble! Registration numbers are a little low right now, so don't wait to grab your spot! Join us for an evening packed with fun, friends, games

6:00 PM

Turkey trotFamily friendly

Sat, Nov 7678 Main Street, Sanford

2026 Mingle Jingle 5k & Turkey Trot

Join us on Saturday, November 7th for St. Thomas Annual Mingle Jingle 5k and Kids Turkey Trot! This year, there will be NO Vendor Fair. Instead, our Kids Turkey Trot will take place BEFORE the 5k at 8:30am. The 5k will kick off at 9am! Registration Link

8:30 AM

Turkey trotFamily friendly

Sat, Nov 736 Canal St, Somersworth

Thanksgiving wall decor

Craft Your Own Thanksgiving Doorhanger or Wall Decor! Celebrate the cozy harvest season with a fun, hands-on workshop! Join us in the studio to create a personalized 12" round wooden sign that adds a charming touch to your home for Thanksgiving. Choose

2:00 PM

Sat, Nov 7Clemento’s Pizzeria & Brew - Rochester

Books‑Giving Bingo: Pajama Party Edition at Clemento's on 11/7! 🦃📚

Books‑Giving Bingo: Pajama Party Edition at Clemento's on 11/7! 🦃📚 The holidays are almost here, and before the chaos begins, we deserve a night to unwind! Pull on your coziest pajamas, grab your friends, and join Bookish Bliss at Clemento's Pizzeria &am

5:30 PM

Sat, Nov 736 Canal St, Somersworth

Thanksgiving themed screen printing workshop

Gather & Print: A Thanksgiving Screen Printing Workshop Get ready to express your gratitude—or your love for mashed potatoes—at our upcoming Thanksgiving Screen Printing Workshop! Whether you want to print a heartfelt seasonal message or a funny nod

6:15 PM

Family friendly

Sat, Nov 75 Ledge Rd, Chester

Advanced Sourdough Class at the Farm Thanksgiving Theme

If you are already familiar with the basics but want to "up your game" then this is for you. This is a hands on class. Light refreshments will be available. We will go over starter care and making a stronger, healthier starter. We will also go over inclus

9:00 PM

Thu, Nov 12190 Route 125, Brentwood

Pie Making Class

Want to learn how to make your own pie crust from scratch? Join us on Nov. 12th at the Brentwood Community Center for a hands-on lesson where you can share your newly learned skills at Thanksgiving! There are limited seats available so register today to

6:00 PM

Sat, Nov 14Deerfield Community School

DCS Turkey Trot: 5K Run/Walk and Tiny Turkey Trot

The Deerfield Community School's annual Turkey Trot will take place on Saturday, November 14, 2026. The race starts and finishes at the Deerfield Community School. ***5K Run and Walk*** Registration and bib pick-up from 8-8:45 a.m. Start time at 9:00

9:00 AM

Turkey trot

Sat, Nov 14The Sports Barn, North Hampton, NH

Paulsen Fall Friendsgiving Nov 2026

8 team RCO Open Cash prize - $1000 Friendship exhibition tournament - no gender touch rule and no male blocking. No ratings, no caps, no points, and no jerseys required. Bring your best 6. Gladiator academy style, if you want to bring your Pro/Olympian fr

9:00 AM

Friendsgiving

Sat, Nov 14The Healing Power of Flowers - Heaven and Earth, Salem

Enchanting Gratitude: A Magickal Thanksgiving Meditation 11/14/26

This is registration for in person attendance of the event. Please use the other link for Zoom attendance. Please note this registration is for the In Person attendance tickets! </

6:30 PM

Free – $16.78Volunteer

Sun, Nov 15Chester, New Hampshire

1st Annual Turkey Trot

🦃 Chester Academy Turkey Trot 🦃Run, Walk & Give Back!Lace up your sneakers and join us for the Chester Academy Turkey Trot, a fun-filled event for Chester Academy students, staff, families, and community members! Come run, walk, jog, or cheer as we ki

10:30 AM

Turkey trotVolunteer

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 Dover

Turkey trots, dinners and parades in the towns nearby

Sun, Nov 22The Lakehouse at Owl's Nest Resort, Thornton

Drag-Tastic Brunch

12:00 PM

$70Dinner & brunch

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 Dover: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Dover in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Dover run from Oct 1 to Nov 29, 2026: 59 events.

What is on in Dover on Thanksgiving Day?

11 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including T4G Thanksgiving Day 5K/10K Road Race at YMCA, Dartmouth Health | Fisher Cats Thanksgiving Day 5K at New Hampshire Fisher Cats and 19th Annual GYC Turkey Trot 5K & Family Walk.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Dover?

12 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Community Friendsgiving Potluck Dinner!, Family Fun Night: Thanksgiving Edition and Barnstead Community Feast. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Dover?

Yes: Kids Night Out- Turkey Trot! Creative Kids Clubhouse (Fri, Nov 6), 2026 Mingle Jingle 5k & Turkey Trot (Sat, Nov 7) and DCS Turkey Trot: 5K Run/Walk and Tiny Turkey Trot at Deerfield Community School (Sat, Nov 14).

Are there free Thanksgiving events in Dover?

Yes: 2 of the 59 listed are free, including Haven Homes Drive-By Pie to Support Mainspring & Footprints Food Pantry and Enchanting Gratitude: A Magickal Thanksgiving Meditation 11/14/26 at The Healing Power of Flowers - Heaven and Earth. Tickets for the rest run from $7.18 to $87.21.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Dover?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are Dartmouth Health | Fisher Cats Thanksgiving Day 5K at New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Thu, Nov 26), 19th Annual GYC Turkey Trot 5K & Family Walk (Thu, Nov 26) and Wines for Your Thanksgiving Table at Earth at Hidden Pond (Thu, Nov 12).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Dover?

Yes: 9 more events are listed within reach, in Hollis, Boston, Thornton and Cambridge 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.