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Thanksgiving Events in Pekin 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Pekin 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 Pekin.

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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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Invite your family to dinner

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Curated by the AllEvents team, for you

Top Thanksgiving events in Pekin

All Thanksgiving events in Pekin 2026

On now

Nov 12–198800 N. Allen Road, Peoria8 days

🧸 Elevate Toy Drive (Thankful Thursdays)

💚 Thankful Thursdays! 💚 👉 Each Thursday from open to close, we'll be hosting a drive to support our local community! Each month we'll support a different cause. ✅ November's cause is a Toy Drive! 🧸 ✅ Donate a *NEW* toy on Thursdays and receive 2 h

10:00 AM

Volunteer

Sponsored
On now

Nov 12–19105 N. Main St., East Peoria8 days

🧸 Toy Drive (Thankful Thursdays)

💚 Thankful Thursdays! 💚 👉 Each Thursday from open to close, we'll be hosting a drive to support our local community! Each month we'll support a different cause. ✅ November's cause is a Toy Drive! 🧸 ✅ Donate a *NEW* toy on Thursdays and receive 2 h

10:00 AM

Volunteer

On now

Sun, Nov 15Reimagine Mason City Foundation

Candy Class

Our 2nd annual candy class is being held during Thanksgiving season this round. All ages welcome, 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. $30 per person, includes luncheon. Your choice of Italian Chicken or Pulled Pork. You also get to take your han

11:00 AM

Family friendly

On now

Sun, Nov 15133 Elmridge Place, Creve Coeur

Christ Bible Church Thanksgiving Potluck Luncheon

Everyone is welcome to join us for our all-church Thanksgiving lunch. The church will be providing turkey, ham, rolls and butter, and green beans. We ask that you please bring a dish to share. There will be a sign up sheet in the church foyer. Please joi

12:00 PM

On now

Sun, Nov 15Tremont, Illinois

Christmas Minis at Studio on Sampson

🌲📸NOW BOOKING- A Nostalgic Christmas! Mini Sessions (Details Below) I am SO excited to offer these Christmas Minis with that nostalgic feeling we all crave! This setup is located at the Studio on Sampson in Tremont, IL. These mini sessions can be used f

12:30 PM

Sponsored
On now

Sun, Nov 15439 S. Orange St, Havana

HCMA Community Thanksgiving Service

🦃 HCMA Community Thanksgiving Service – Everyone Welcome! Join us this Sunday, November 15, at 6 PM as Havana First Assembly of God hosts the Havana Christian Ministerial Association's Community Thanksgiving Service! Come together with churches from acr

6:00 PM

Family friendly

On now

Sun, Nov 151321 Route 10, Lincoln

YOUTHsGIVING

You are invited to YOUTH'SGIVING! This is a FREE event for Jr High + High Schoolers. This event will be located in our Gym (Laughlin Center.) There will be: FREE CANES FREE TURKEY NACHOS OPEN GYM GAMES & MORE! Bring a friend, and we will see you Sun

6:00 PM

Wed, Nov 18430 N Bradley Ave, Chillicothe

Kids Cooking: Cornbread

Learn to make this classic side dish, just in time for Thanksgiving!

4:00 PM

Family friendly

Wed, Nov 185301 W. Everett Dirksen Parkway, Peoria

Thanksgiving Dinner

Join us at Villas of Holly Brook Bellevue & Reflections Memory Care for our Annual Thanksgiving Dinner! 📅 Wednesday, November 18th ⏰ 4:30 PM 📍 5301 W. Everett M. Dirksen Parkway, Peoria Gather with us for a warm, delicious Thanksgiving meal filled w

4:30 PM

Dinner & brunch

Sponsored

Thu, Nov 19380 Wylie Dr. Suite #650, Normal

Vineyard Women's "Thankfulness Potluck Dinner"

We are inviting all women of the Vineyard to join us for our first ever "Thankfulness Potluck Dinner" on Thursday, November 19 at the church from 6:30pm to 8pm. We will hangout together, have a brief talk and end the night in worship This event is FREE

6:00 PM

Dinner & brunch

Thu, Nov 191403 N Veterans Pkwy, Bloomington

Hy-Vee Autumn Blooms Design Class: 11/19

Get creative with Bloomington Hy-Vee Floral and don't miss a fun evening of flowers, wine and friends! 🍂🍷 Join us Thursday, November 19 and enjoy a hands-on floral design class where you'll create a beautiful Thanksgiving arrangement to take home, perfec

6:15 PM

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 Pekin

Turkey trots, dinners and parades in the towns nearby

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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 Pekin: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Pekin in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Pekin run from Nov 12 to Nov 29, 2026: 59 events.

What is on in Pekin on Thanksgiving Day?

5 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including Turkey Trot Canton Y 2026, Gobble Wobble and 48th Annual FREE Turkey Trot.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Pekin?

10 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Thanksgiving Dinner, Vineyard Women's "Thankfulness Potluck Dinner" and Jim and Tommy Live at Rob Dob's. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Pekin?

Yes: Turkey Trot Canton Y 2026 (Thu, Nov 26), Gobble Wobble (Thu, Nov 26) and 48th Annual FREE Turkey Trot (Thu, Nov 26).

Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in Pekin?

Gobble up the Goodness Food Drive! is looking for helping hands.

Are there free Thanksgiving events in Pekin?

Yes: 2 of the 59 listed are free, including Thanksgiving Storytime at Pekin Public Library and Opt Outside Nature Walk at Comlara Park w REI and 52 Hike Challenge IL.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Pekin?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are 48th Annual FREE Turkey Trot (Thu, Nov 26), Thanksgiving Farmers' Market at Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts (Sat, Nov 21) and Turkey Trot Canton Y 2026 (Thu, Nov 26).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Pekin?

Yes: 6 more events are listed within reach, in Peoria, Decatur, Lasalle and North Utica 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.