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Thanksgiving Events in Olympia 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Olympia 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 Olympia.

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Youโ€™re warmly invited

to

ThanksgivingDinner

Date
Thursday, November 26
Time
4:00 PM

โ€œCome hungry and bring your stories. Thereโ€™s always room at our table.โ€

With love,Your name

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Top Thanksgiving events in Olympia

All Thanksgiving events in Olympia 2026

On now

Oct 12 โ€“ Nov 18McCormick Woods Golf Club, Port Orchard38 days

McCormick Woods Thanksgiving Togo

Grab your togo meals from McCormick Woods and enjoy a stress-free holiday! MCCORMICK WOODS THANKSGIVING TOGO Looking for a stress-free Thanksgiving meal? Join us at M

1:00 PM

$82

Sponsored
On now

Fri, Nov 13Dancing Needles Tattoo, Yelm

INKSGIVING (Friday the 13th November 2026)

๐Ÿ‚ Dancing Needles Tattoo presents INKSGIVING! ๐Ÿ‚ (This is a CASH ONLY event.) Our third and final Friday the 13th event of 2026 is coming this November, and we hope youโ€™ll mark your calendars and join us for the festivities! Inksgiving is all about havin

9:00 AM

On now

Fri, Nov 13True Vine Community COGIC, Tacoma

A Night Of Thanks

Get ready for A NIGHT OF THANKS! ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ Join us for a powerful evening of PRAISE, WORSHIP, and THANKSGIVING featuring the True Vine Praise Team, Praise Dance Team, and special guest gospel artists! ๐Ÿ“Œ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH | 7 PM ๐Ÿ“True Vine Community Church

7:00 PM

Sat, Nov 145108 260th St E, Graham

3rd Annual CMMS Booster Club Turkey Trot

Get ready to trot for a cause! Join us for our 3rd Annual CMMS Booster Club Turkey Trot, a 5k Community Fundraiser & Food Drive. This event is more than just a raceโ€”itโ€™s a chance to give back. Proceeds from the 5K support our Booster Clubโ€™s general fu

8:30 AM

Turkey trotVolunteer

Sponsored

Sat, Nov 1414407 94th Ave. E., Puyallup

Fall Micro Market

FALL MICRO MARKET๐Ÿ‚ Mark your calendars! Next Saturday 11/4 we will be bringing back our Micro Markets here at The Red Barn! These are smaller, Holiday themed markets held under the tents to ensure that whether rain or shine we will stay dry! We're bringi

10:00 AM

Market

Sat, Nov 141108 26th Ave NW, Gig Harbor

24th National Fine Art Show

Discover your favorite new piece of art at the Peninsula Art League's juried 24th National Fine Art Show, open Nov. 14th-Dec. 2nd! Open Monday - Saturday from 10am-4pm. Come explore this inspiring collection of outstanding artwork by national, regional

10:00 AM

Sat, Nov 147515 Cirque Dr University Place Washington 98467

Lady B"s Friendsgiving Dinner

Come Eat DrinkDance win some prizes Enjoy the Comedy Show and have A good time Enjoy a Pre Thanksgiving Dinner Complement of Tacomas Own LadyB Donations accepted Also There will Be Vendors to do some Shopping as Welll There will be no t

2:00 PM

Dinner & brunchFriendsgiving

Sat, Nov 146703 Bethel Rd SE, Port Orchard

ThriveGiving

Teens, bring a friend or two and join us for our Friendsgiving!

3:00 PM

Friendsgiving

Sat, Nov 1412604 189th Ave nw, Vaughn

Barn Friendsgiving Potluck!

Bring your favorite dish and let's all have a good time!

3:00 PM

Friendsgiving

Sponsored

Sun, Nov 1516816 Old Highway 99 SE, Tenino

Holiday Stock-Up Sunday Event

The holidays will be here before you know it. Come out to Colvin Ranch Provisions on Sunday, November 15, and get your kitchen, your freezer, and your gift list ready before the rush. It's all in one stop, about 10 minutes off I-5 in Tenino. KNIFE SHARPE

11:00 AM

Sun, Nov 15Canterwood Country Club, Gig Harbor

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Centerpiece Workshop at Canterwood Country Club

. Amytiques is honored to partner with Canterwood Country Club in Gig Harbor to offer on Sunday, November 15th from 1:30-3:30PM a THANKSGIVING PUMPKIN CENTERPIECE WORKSHOP!! ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป This is going to

1:30 PM

$100 โ€“ $160

Thanksgiving table decor and hosting essentials

From the thermometer that saves the turkey to the tablecloth, the kidsโ€™ 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 Olympia

Turkey trots, dinners and parades in the towns nearby

Sponsored

Thu, Nov 26232 Front Street N, Issaquah

2026 Turkey Trot

9:00 AM

Turkey trotFamily friendly

Thu, Nov 26Suquamish Clearwater Casino Event Center

Thanksgiving Buffet

11:00 AM

Dinner & 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 familyโ€™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. 1846โ€“63Sarah Josepha Hale, the magazine editor who wrote โ€œMary Had a Little Lambโ€, 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 โ€” a year older than the Boston Marathon.
  6. 1924Macyโ€™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. 1939โ€“41Franklin Roosevelt moves the day a week earlier to lengthen the shopping season. People call it โ€œFranksgivingโ€, 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 Olympia: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Olympia in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Olympia run from Oct 12 to Nov 29, 2026: 91 events.

What is on in Olympia on Thanksgiving Day?

18 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including Turkey trot 5k in Yelm, Oly Turkey Day 4 Miler at Heritage Park (Olympia) and Thorbeckes Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Olympia?

17 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Lady B"s Friendsgiving Dinner, Thanksgiving Dinner and Port Orchard Night of Thankfulness | Youth 13-25 Free Dinner. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Olympia?

Yes: 3rd Annual CMMS Booster Club Turkey Trot (Sat, Nov 14), Less Turkey, More Trot (9k, 21k, 33k) at Mima Falls Trailhead (Nov 21โ€“29) and 8th Annual Turkey Trot๐Ÿฆƒ at Capital Lake, Olympia, Washington (Sat, Nov 21).

Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in Olympia?

3rd Annual CMMS Booster Club Turkey Trot, Turkey Drop - Camp Murray at Camp Murray St, Lakewood, WA 98498, United States and Less Turkey, More Trot (9k, 21k, 33k) at Mima Falls Trailhead are looking for helping hands.

Are there free Thanksgiving events in Olympia?

Yes: 13 of the 91 listed are free, including NOVA Home Loans Friendsgiving at Salted Rim Bar & Kitchen, It Pie Time! at Starbucks Coffee Company and Wallace Homes & Loans Pics & Pies Annual Event. Tickets for the rest run from $17.38 to $160.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Olympia?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are Tacoma Official Thanksgiving Eve Bar Crawl 2026 at The Forum (Nov 25โ€“26), Thanksgiving Food Distribution & Turkey Shoot at MWR Fest Tent (Sat, Nov 21) and Thanksgiving with BOSS at Warrior Zone 11592 17th and D streets JBLM-Lewis North, Washington 98433 (Thu, Nov 26).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Olympia?

Yes: 7 more events are listed within reach, in Seattle, Bremerton, Issaquah and Suquamish and more.

When is Thanksgiving 2026?

In the United States, Thursday, November 26, 2026 โ€” 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.