Thanksgiving with the Birds is a longstanding Audubon tradition that dates back to the founding of ACNC. In the event’s early days, Audubon’s hardy founders cooked soup in an outdoor pot, brought lawn chairs, and ate their Thanksgiving dinner outside in the brisk, occasionally snowy, air amongst the trees and birds.
Some of those traditions survive, but not all. Participants are asked to bring a can or container of soup to add to the communal pot on the fire (broth-based, not creamy, and nothing with seafood, please) in addition to a dish to share. But rather than outdoor dining, the meal takes place indoors these days.
This communal Thanksgiving dinner is a group effort. Audubon provides turkey, gravy, and beverages. Participants are asked to provide their favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, desserts, and soup to share. Soup will be mixed outside over a campfire, followed by an inside dinner and a program featuring one of Audubon’s Animal Ambassadors. The meal will be served at noon, and the program will take place at 1:30 p.m. Join us for a short walk after the program, weather permitting.
$8 Adults
$6 Nature Center members
$6 Children 3 – 15
Free 2 and under
Paid reservations requested by Friday, November 14, 2025
Register today at auduboncnc.org/thanksgiving-with-birds
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