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Thanksgiving Events in Independence 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Independence 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 Independence.

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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 Independence

All Thanksgiving events in Independence 2026

Sun, Nov 15Creative Images, Blue Springs

Linx Launch Party

✨ You’re Invited to the Linx Launch Party! ✨ Something exciting is happening at Creative Images, and we want YOU to celebrate with us! 🥂 Join us for an afternoon of shopping, permanent jewelry, local vendors, giveaways, and good vibes as we officially l

2:00 PM

Sponsored

Sun, Nov 152620 Burlington St, Kansas City

Kingdom City Youth Rally Night Friendsgiving

We're going FEAST MODE at KC Youth Rally Night, and you're invited! Get ready for a Friendsgiving celebration filled with great food, games, friends, and a night of powerful worship and the Word! Rally Nights are a place for students in grades 6–12 to b

6:00 PM

Dinner & brunchFriendsgiving

Tue, Nov 17Keller Williams Diamond Partners, Olathe

Any Way You Slice It, We're Thankful for You!

You're invited to our Thanksgiving appreciation event! Join us for an evening of gratitude, good company, and fun! You and your family are invited1 Bring a friend! Join us for refreshments and treats, take

4:00 PM

Free

Tue, Nov 17Blush Farms Cork + Board, Liberty

Behind the Bottles: Holiday Edition

Ever wonder what's hiding on the Blush Farms Wine Wall? Join us for a fun, relaxed evening as we take you Behind the Bottles! Join us and Matt Booty, from Vintegrity Wine & Spirits, in t

6:30 PM

$28.52

Wed, Nov 18Raytown Schools Wellness Center

November Membership Luncheon w/ Greg Bolon from MoDOT

November 2026 Membership Luncheon A Very Lutfi's Thanksgiving! presented by Fatboy Electric Join the Raytown Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism for our November Monthly Membership Luncheon as we celebrate the season of gratitude with great food, fell

11:00 AM

Sponsored

Wed, Nov 18Leawood Community Center, Overland Park

Thankful for... Cookies!

Thankful for... Cookies! Come join us for this fun, beginner-friendly, hands-on cookie decorating class! All supplies provided, including 6 coookies, individual bags of icing, tools and a box to take home your creations. Wednesday, November 18th, 6:00pm

6:00 PM

Wed, Nov 18The City House, Kansas City

Friendsgiving Potluck 2026

Get ready for a feast with church family at our church-wide Friendsgiving Potluck! Bring your favorite dish and join us for a fun night! Friendsgiving Potluck Get ready for a feast wi

6:30 PM

FreeDinner & brunchFriendsgiving

Thu, Nov 193110 Prospect Ave, Kansas City

A Day of Giving

A Day of Giving is coming to United Market. ❤️🛒 On Thursday, November 19, Carter Broadcast Group and Victorious Life Church KC are bringing the community together for a Thanksgiving food donation drive at United Market. 📍 United Market – Linwood & P

12:00 AM

VolunteerMarket

Thu, Nov 1913500 Byars Rd, Grandview

Senior Thanksgiving at The View

A heartfelt thank you to the Grandview Elks Lodge for generously preparing and serving this wonderful holiday meal. Whether you're continuing a favorite tradition or joining us for the first time, we hope you'll come celebrate the season with us. Enjoy g

4:30 PM

Thu, Nov 19Odessa, Missouri

Flannels & Frost Stroll

🎄🦃Get Cozy, Get Merry! - Flannels & Frost Stroll 🦃🎄 Grab your favorite flannel, round up your friends, and get ready for an evening of shopping, sipping, snacking, and celebrating all things cozy! We're bringing our downtown businesses together for

5:00 PM

Sponsored

Thu, Nov 191609 NW US Highway 50, Kingsville

Evergy Festival of Lights

Evergy Festival of Lights Select evenings | 5-10 p.m. Admission varies During Evergy Festival of Lights at Powell Gardens, holiday lights turn Kansas City’s botanical garden into a winter wonderland. The winter festival will light Powell Gardens on Nove

5:00 PM

Thu, Nov 19CHASE Office, Merriam

Friendsgiving

Join us in person for Friends & Family Giving—a cozy gathering filled with music, games, and plenty of pie! FriendsGiving is an in-person event—come celebrate together! No need to

5:30 PM

FreeFriendsgiving

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 Independence

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 Independence: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Independence in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Independence run from Nov 15 to Nov 28, 2026: 100 events.

What is on in Independence on Thanksgiving Day?

18 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including Ward Parkway Thanksgiving Day Run, THANKSGIVING DAY: Turkey Burn Bootcamp with Alicia! and 15th Annual Kearney Turkey Trot at Kearney High School Stadium.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Independence?

14 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Kingdom City Youth Rally Night Friendsgiving, Friendsgiving Potluck 2026 at The City House and Thanksgiving Dinner & Free Turkey Giveaway. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Independence?

Yes: 3rd Annual HHC Turkey Trot (Sat, Nov 21), 2026 Gobbler Grind Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, & 5K at Corporate Woods Office Park (Sun, Nov 22) and Ward Parkway Thanksgiving Day Run (Thu, Nov 26).

Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in Independence?

Music Bingo- NON Perishable Food Drive at First United Methodist Church Blue Springs and A Slice of Gratitude: Pie Day 2026 at Mimi's Pantry are looking for helping hands.

Are there free Thanksgiving events in Independence?

Yes: 15 of the 100 listed are free, including Any Way You Slice It, We're Thankful for You! at Keller Williams Diamond Partners, Friendsgiving Potluck 2026 at The City House and Friendsgiving at CHASE Office. Tickets for the rest run from $10.97 to $233.77.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Independence?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are City Market's 9th Annual Merry Market! (Nov 28 – Dec 20), 2026 Gobbler Grind Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, & 5K at Corporate Woods Office Park (Sun, Nov 22) and Kansas City Official Thanksgiving Eve Bar Crawl 2026 at Vye Cocktail Lounge (Nov 25–26).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Independence?

Yes: 1 more event is listed within reach, in Kansas 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.