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Thanksgiving Events in Gilbert 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Gilbert 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 Gilbert.

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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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Invite your family to dinner

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Curated by the AllEvents team, for you

Top Thanksgiving events in Gilbert

All Thanksgiving events in Gilbert 2026

On now

Nov 1–207150 N 57th Dr, Glendale20 days

Reserve your FREE Pumpking Pie

Hop online and grab your FREE pumpkin pie—while supplies last! 🎃🥧 RESERVE YOUR FREE PUMPKIN PIE! 🥧🎃 Join us for our GIVEAWAY EVENT a

10:00 AM

Free

Sponsored
On now

Nov 13–14Tumbleweed Park, Chandler2 days

Wild Card Series: Kicksgiving

🦃 KICKSGIVING IS COMING TO CHANDLER! 🦃 We love kickball. We love bringing people together. And we LOVE finding new ways to give back. Welcome to KicksGiving, one of PlayMakers Club’s Wild Card Series events! Throughout the year, our Wild Card Series bri

6:00 PM

Market

Sat, Nov 14Scottsdale, Arizona

Paws, Plates & Giving Thanks

🦃🐾 PAWS, PLATES & GIVING THANKS! 🐾🦃 We’re teaming up with Paws Choose Us to bring our community together for a little holiday fun, a whole lot of giving, and some adorable adoptable faces! Thanks to the generosity of our local Walmart, we will be giv

10:00 AM

Sat, Nov 14414 Pub Pizza & Karaoke - Mesa

AZ's Favorite Paint & Sip Event!! Turkey Gnome

Paint a festive Turkey Gnome! Enjoy delicious drinks and food while singing along to your favorite songs as you paint! Celebrate the season at our "Turkey Gnome" paint class! Purchase your tickets

12:00 PM

$35

Sponsored

Sat, Nov 14Multi-Region / Thanksgiving Friends Gathering for Adults 36+, Apache Junction

Multi-Region / Thanksgiving Friends Gathering for Adults 36+

Multi-Region / Thanksgiving Friends Gathering for Adults 36+ Flatiron, Peralta, and Skyline Regions are having a combined Single Adult 36+ Thanksgiving Friends Gathering on Saturday November 14th at 5

5:00 PM

Free

Sat, Nov 14Christ Greenfield Church

Veterans Celebration Dinner

**Join us in honoring our veterans!** Christ Greenfield Lutheran Church has invited members of our community to its annual **Veterans Celebration Dinner on Saturday, November 14**. This year’s event will give special recognition to **women who have serv

5:00 PM

Dinner & brunch

Sun, Nov 153945 E Williams Field Rd.

Yoga on The Green

Get a Thanksgiving workout in before a delicious turkey day 🦃Yoga on The Green is back on November 15th at 9AM. 🧘🏻‍♀️ About a 45-minute FREE CorePlus Gilbert yoga class 🧘🏻‍♀️ Bring your own mat and water 🧘🏻‍♀️ Giveaways and post-workout coffee discounts

9:00 AM

Tue, Nov 17The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Friendsgiving - Women’s Dinner

Friendsgiving - Women’s Dinner Please come join us for a nice dinner with our women's group. We will be visiting with each other and making new friends. It's a free event. Park on the north side near

6:00 PM

FreeDinner & brunchFriendsgiving

Sponsored

Wed, Nov 18Mesa Convention Center

Thanksgiving Holiday Distribution

If you or someone you know would like support to put food on the table this holiday season, stop by our distribution and pick up a meal! We are here for you. - This is a drive-thru distribution, please empty your trunk before arriving. - A variety of sea

9:00 AM

Wed, Nov 1810411 E McDowell Mountain Ranch Rd, Scottsdale

Thanksgiving Class – Everything But The Turkey

Menu: Appetizer: - Phyllo Purse with Brie and Homemade Cranberry Sauce Sides: - Roasted Brussels Sprouts tossed with Bacon, Cranberries and topped with a Blue Cheese Crumble and Balsamic Herb Drizzle - Sautéed Green Beans with Caramelized Shallot and Crus

6:30 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 Gilbert

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 Gilbert: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Gilbert in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Gilbert run from Nov 1 to Nov 29, 2026: 100 events.

What is on in Gilbert on Thanksgiving Day?

20 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including Free Community Thanksgiving Dinner, 18th Annual Turkey Swim and Fountain Hills Turkey Trot at E Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268, United States.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Gilbert?

17 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Veterans Celebration Dinner at Christ Greenfield Church, Friendsgiving - Women’s Dinner at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Girls & Gays-Giving: A Thanksgiving Dinner at The Pemberton. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Gilbert?

Yes: NEON SPUR TURKEY TROT (Wed, Nov 18), Turkey Trot @ the MGC (Sat, Nov 21) and PSN Turkey Trot at The Little Gym (Queen Creek) (Sat, Nov 21).

Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in Gilbert?

THE MISH MASH at That One Spot Barbershop, R&B Thanksgiving: Rihanna & Beyonce Edition Benefiting St. Mary's Food Bank at Off The Record and Teen “Toy” Drive & Turkey Trot at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are looking for helping hands.

Are there free Thanksgiving events in Gilbert?

Yes: 22 of the 100 listed are free, including Reserve your FREE Pumpking Pie, Multi-Region / Thanksgiving Friends Gathering for Adults 36+ and Friendsgiving - Women’s Dinner at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tickets for the rest run from $5 to $85.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Gilbert?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are Phoenix Official Thanksgiving Eve Bar Crawl 2026 at Crown Public House (Nov 25–26), Scottsdale Official Thanksgiving Eve Bar Crawl 2026 (Nov 25–26) and Fountain Hills Turkey Trot at E Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268, United States (Thu, Nov 26).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Gilbert?

Yes: 3 more events are listed within reach, in Phoenix and Surprise.

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.