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Thanksgiving events in New York

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ThanksgivingDinner

Date
Thursday, November 26
Time
4:00 PM

“Come hungry and bring your stories. There’s always room at our table.”

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Top Thanksgiving events in New York

All Thanksgiving events in New York 2026

Sat, Nov 14Miramar Regional Park

Turkey Giveaway Drive-Thru

Turkey Giveaway Drive-Thru 1 turkey per family. Miramar residents only. Must present registration QR code. The first 250 residents will receive a $20 gift certificate, complimen

10:00 AM

Free

Sponsored

Thu, Nov 19Red Bank & The Point Church, Chattanooga

Turkey Giveaway

The Point Church will host its annual Turkey Giveaway on Thursday, Nov. 19, beginning at 10 a.m., providing 500 free turkeys and bags of groceries to families in the Chattanooga community. Families can drive through at either The Point Church’s Red Bank

10:00 AM

Nov 20–24200 Baychester Ave, Bronx5 days

FREE Turkey Giveaway

Celebrate the season of giving with The Mall at Bay Plaza at our 9th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting! We're giving back to our Bronx community with a FREE Turkey Giveaway to help make your Thanksgiving celebration extra special. Join us on Friday, Novembe

5:00 PM

Volunteer

Fri, Nov 20Ford Field, Detroit

Hob Nobble Gobble

🎉 We’re back on the Main Stage at Hob Nobble Gobble, presented by Ford! Join us Friday, November 20 at Ford Field for Detroit’s most festive black-tie fundraiser of the year. This year’s theme is “This is 100,” celebrating the 100th anniversary of Americ

6:00 PM

Live music

Sponsored

Sat, Nov 215555 NW 95th Ave, Sunrise

FREE Turkey & Grocery Giveaway 🦃 | Community Food Distribution

This Thanksgiving season, we’re giving back to our community with free turkeys, chickens and groceries for families! 🦃❤️ Join us for a morning of love, gratitude, and community support. Come early — supplies are limited! Let’s make sure every family has

8:00 AM

Volunteer

Sat, Nov 21Vive City Chapel, Miami

Project LOVE | Free Thanksgiving Grocery Giveaway

Vive City Chapel will bless 500 households with free turkeys and groceries this Thanksgiving, thanks to our generous partner. Sign up today! Thanks to our generous partner, Vive City Chapel is giving away t

9:00 AM

Free

Sat, Nov 21Plymouth Historic Waterfront

America's Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration & Parade

Celebrate Thanksgiving in the place where America's Thanksgiving story began! America's Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration and Parade returns to historic Plymouth, Massachusetts, on November 20–21, 2026, bringing together American history, music, commun

9:00 AM

Parade

Sat, Nov 211 Veterans Pl, Silver Spring

Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade

Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 10:00am Join us for the Montgomery County Thanksgiving parade on the Saturday before the holiday. From glittering floats and marching bands to 12-foot inflatable turkeys,

10:00 AM

FreeParade

Sponsored

Sat, Nov 2156 Pennsylvania Ave, Brooklyn

Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway

Giving away free turkeys for the Thanksgiving Holidays. Join Council Member Sandy Nurse and our office as we give back to families in District 37 this Thanksgiving season! We will be distributing <str

11:00 AM

Free

Sat, Nov 21176 S Mountain Ave, Upland

FREE TURKEY GIVEAWAY (ONE TURKEY PER FAMILY)

Grab a free turkey for your family and make your holiday feast extra special with this awesome giveaway! While Supplies Last.

11:00 AM

FreeDinner & brunch

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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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 New York: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in New York in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in New York run from Nov 14 to Nov 28, 2026: 100 events.

What is on in New York on Thanksgiving Day?

39 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including Macy’s 100th Thanksgiving Parade at New York City, Morgan Wallen Tour at Las Vegas, Nevada and TurkeyTrot LA, Generic Events & The Midnight Mission at City Hall.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in New York?

15 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including JoJo’s Feast Mode: A Friendsgiving Celebration & Celebrity Chef Showdown at Rockwell on the River, FREE TURKEY GIVEAWAY (ONE TURKEY PER FAMILY) and Goodwill's 69th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner and Resource Fair at The Baltimore Convention Center. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in New York?

Yes: TurkeyTrot LA, Generic Events & The Midnight Mission at City Hall (Thu, Nov 26), Community First Thanksgiving Distance Classic Half Marathon and 5k (Thu, Nov 26) and Katy YMCAs 24th Annual Turkey Dash Presented by Houston Methodist West at Monty Ballard YMCA at Cinco Ranch (Thu, Nov 26).

Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in New York?

FREE Turkey Giveaway, FREE Turkey & Grocery Giveaway 🦃 | Community Food Distribution and 2026 Turkey Trot Presented by Icebug at Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center are looking for helping hands.

Are there free Thanksgiving events in New York?

Yes: 39 of the 100 listed are free, including Turkey Giveaway Drive-Thru at Miramar Regional Park, Project LOVE | Free Thanksgiving Grocery Giveaway at Vive City Chapel and The Dunn Foundation Annual Free Turkey Giveaway Drive-Thru at Iverson Mall. Tickets for the rest run from $11.11 to $6,324.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in New York?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026 at New York City (Thu, Nov 26), 2026 Formula 1: Las Vegas Grand Prix - Saturday at Las Vegas Strip Circuit (Sat, Nov 21) and Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys at One AT&T Way, Arlington, TX, United States, Texas 76011 (Thu, Nov 26).

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.