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Thanksgiving Events in Lansing 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Lansing 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 Lansing.

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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 Lansing

All Thanksgiving events in Lansing 2026

On now

Nov 1–813387 29 Mile Rd, Albion8 days

Food Drive for Community Table of Albion

We're collecting non-perishable foods to donate to our local food hub! All donations stay in Albion! Collecting until Dec 6 - look for the tote at the Lodge!

5:00 PM

Volunteer

Fri, Nov 133700 Old Lansing Rd

Parents' Night Out: Thankful Turkeys

(Ages 3-10)* The YMCA is offering Parents’ Night Out for our YMCA families! Children will enjoy a themed night of arts of crafts, games, playing with new friends and dinner! *Must be fully potty trained Pricing: YMCA Members $20 Non-members $30 $5 sibli

5:00 PM

Dinner & brunchFamily friendly

Fri, Nov 13First Baptist Church, Charlotte, MI

Thanks+Giving Fundraising Banquet

Join us for an inspiring evening at our annual Together for Life Thanks+Giving Fundraising Banquet! 🍁✨ Thanks to generous sponsors, dinner is completely complimentary, ensuring that 100% of every dollar given that night goes directly toward supporting

6:00 PM

Dinner & brunch

Fri, Nov 134132 E Grand River Ave, Howell

Leafy Platter- Handbuilding Workshop

Create a beautiful handmade fall platter that’s perfect for Thanksgiving, autumn entertaining, or simply adding a little handmade charm to your table! In this approximately 2-hour stoneware handbuilding workshop, we’ll create an oval platter and decorate

6:00 PM

Fri, Nov 13Goldfish Swim School of Okemos, Meridian charter Township

Friendsgiving Family Swim

Join us for an open family swim celebrating FRIENDSGIVING! Admission is free! Please consider bringing a donation of canned goods, non-perishable food items, or other essential items to help those i

6:30 PM

FreeFriendsgivingVolunteer

Sat, Nov 14Jackson Speedway

Mid Michigan Drift Club (MMDC) - Friendsgiving Drift

Join us for an open drift day that rolls into a community Friendsgiving feast in the garage! Show up hungry for skids, leave filled up on tandems and turkey. Potluck Signup: $10 general admission (online or at the ga

9:00 AM

Dinner & brunchFriendsgiving

Sat, Nov 14Pinckney, Michigan

Cranberry, Pear & Ginger Pie (3 SPACES AVAILABLE)

Cranberry Pear & Ginger Pie- November 14th 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Class cost: $90 (includes a premium pie pan) Make a pie that takes your guests by a pleasant surprise this Thanksgiving! This pie has all the delicious flavors of the season and it's anyt

11:00 AM

Sat, Nov 1483 East Tuttle Road, Ionia

Annual Friendsgiving Dinner

Join us for our annual Friendsgiving dinner! We’ve got the turkey, you bring the sides and enjoy a night of giving thanks and being in community together! At Illuminate, we love to circle up around tables and be a family. We believe everyone has a seat

6:00 PM

Dinner & brunchFriendsgiving

Sun, Nov 15Pinckney, Michigan

Sage & Gruyere Biscuits with Homemade Butter (1 SPACE AVAILABLE)

Sage & Gruyere Biscuits- November 15th 11 a.m until 2:30 p.m. Class cost: $75 Bread rolls are traditional on a Thanksgiving plate but these biscuits will have your friends and family talking! They're perfect for cleaning plates of any remaining gravy,

11:00 AM

Sun, Nov 15MI Craft House, Howell

Needle Felted Turkey Workshop at MI Craft House

Celebrate the cozy colors and textures of autumn with a Needle Felted Turkey Workshop at MI Craft House. In this beginner-friendly class, you’ll learn how to transform loose wool into a dimensional turkey using simple needle-felting techniques. We’ll wor

1:00 PM

Sun, Nov 15120 E Main St, Spring Arbor

Thanks and Praise Service

Sunday, Nov. 15 4 p.m. Celebrating Thanksgiving and the goodness of God in partnership with the Spring Arbor University Music Department!

4:00 PM

Nov 16–20438 Union St, Ionia5 days

Thanksgiving Food Drive

Mark those calendars and start shopping the sales. IMS will be holding their Thanksgiving food drive November 16th - 20th. Items collected during this week go to families at IMS who may need a little more assistance this holiday season. Everyones support

7:00 AM

Volunteer

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 Lansing

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 Lansing: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Lansing in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Lansing run from Nov 1 to Nov 28, 2026: 53 events.

What is on in Lansing on Thanksgiving Day?

7 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including 2026 Downtown DeWitt Turkey Trot, Turkey Trot at McCormick Park and Thanksgiving Flow 🦃.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Lansing?

13 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Parents' Night Out: Thankful Turkeys, Thanks+Giving Fundraising Banquet at First Baptist Church, Charlotte, MI and Mid Michigan Drift Club (MMDC) - Friendsgiving Drift at Jackson Speedway. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Lansing?

Yes: 2026 Downtown DeWitt Turkey Trot (Thu, Nov 26), Turkey Trot at McCormick Park (Thu, Nov 26) and Glow Owosso 2026 at Downtown Owosso (Fri, Nov 27).

Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in Lansing?

Food Drive for Community Table of Albion, Thanksgiving Food Drive and Caffeination & Queeriosities: Get Stuffed! T-giving Eve Trivia and Food Drive at Okemos Coffee Shop are looking for helping hands.

Are there free Thanksgiving events in Lansing?

Yes: 2 of the 53 listed are free, including Friendsgiving Family Swim at Goldfish Swim School of Okemos and Black Friday Free Event at Zap Zone XL | Zap Zone XL Lansing. Tickets for the rest run from $14.64 to $72.27.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Lansing?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are Thanksgiving Dinner at Crowne Plaza Lansing by IHG (Thu, Nov 26), Black Friday Free Event at Zap Zone XL | Zap Zone XL Lansing (Nov 27–28) and 2026 Downtown DeWitt Turkey Trot (Thu, Nov 26).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Lansing?

Yes: 9 more events are listed within reach, in Grand Rapids, Flint, Howell and Ann Arbor 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.