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Thanksgiving Events in Rapid City 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Rapid City 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 Rapid City.

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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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Curated by the AllEvents team, for you

Top Thanksgiving events in Rapid City

All Thanksgiving events in Rapid City 2026

On now

Nov 5–8780 Mountain View Rd4 days

Giving Thanks for YOU! Sale

Shop November 5th-8th and get 20% off all gently-used items at our Giving Thanks for YOU! Sale! You voted us #1 Kids' Store at both Locals Love Us! and Best of the Black Hills AGAIN and now we want to show how grateful we are. 'Tis the season for giving

9:00 AM

Family friendly

Nov 16–22100 East Blvd N7 days

Bulk Week! Owners Take 25% Off!

It's our semi-annual Bulk Sale! 📅 November 16th thru November 22nd | 📍 Breadroot Natural Foods Co-op It’s time to round up your recyclables and give those bulk jars a rinse—our entire bulk section is going on sale just for Member-Owners! Just ahead of Th

9:00 AM

Volunteer

Wed, Nov 18402 Kansas City St

Church Thanksgiving Dinner

SAVE THE DATE! November 18th with be the Thanksgiving Dinner for the church. More information, and what donations are needed, as we get closer to the event!

5:00 PM

Dinner & brunchVolunteer

Thu, Nov 19Dahl Arts Center

Friendsgiving Get Together

Friends and Family~ please join us for a thanksgiving themed meal with all our supporters and candidates as we celebrate the hard work and determination (and wins) of our party. Side dishes are welcomed! No business-just community and gratitude

5:30 PM

Friendsgiving

Sat, Nov 21Firehouse Wine Cellars

UPROOTED: Succulent Wreath Workshop at Firehouse Wine Cellars

Join UPROOTED at Firehouse Wine Cellars for a festive, hands-on succulent wreath workshop! Location: Firehouse Wine Cellars, Rapid City, SD Saturday, November 21st | 12:00–1:00 PM Price: $45/person Create your own living succulent wreath to take home wh

12:00 PM

Sun, Nov 2215 New York Street

YOU BELONG AT THE TABLE! ❤️

Join us for a FREE Thanksgiving Banquet inspired by Luke 14:16–17! For the past 8 years, we've brought our community together to share delicious food, gratitude, and meaningful fellowship. Whether you're joining us for the first time or returning, there'

6:00 PM

Nov 23–262512 Marlin Drive4 days

The Great Pup-kin Thanksgiving Paw-ty!

🦃🐾 THE GREAT PUP-KIN THANKSGIVING PAW-TY IS COMING TO MEADOW RIDGE! 🎃🍂 Thanksgiving isn't just for the humans anymore! This year, we're making sure our four-legged family members get a little something special to be thankful for, too! 🧡🐶 Join us for The

5:30 AM

Wed, Nov 25815 Kansas City St.

Turbo Turkey 2026

Join us for our annual Turbo Turkey Workout the night before we stuff ourselves on Thanksgiving. What’s on the menu? The workout includes 1.5 hours of activity including Dance Fitness, Body Sculpt and Yoga! Come for 1 or stay for the whole “meal”. You mi

5:00 PM

Thu, Nov 26Old Story Book Island

TURKEY TROT

TURKEY TROT Old Storybook Island Shelter, Rapid City, SD - 47th ANNUAL TURKEY TROT BLACK HILLS RUNNERS CLUBEARLY… - November 26, 2026

9:00 AM

Turkey trot

Nov 27–29RyeDoodle Boarding & Training and K-9 Sport Complex, Black Hawk3 days

2026 Turkey Trot NADD event

Join us for our Second Annual Turkey Trot! November 27-29!

9:00 AM

Turkey trot

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 Rapid City

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 Rapid City: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Rapid City in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Rapid City run from Nov 5 to Nov 27, 2026: 15 events.

What is on in Rapid City on Thanksgiving Day?

2 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including TURKEY TROT at Old Story Book Island and 🦃 FREE COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER 🦃.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Rapid City?

2 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Church Thanksgiving Dinner and 🦃 FREE COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER 🦃. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Rapid City?

Yes: TURKEY TROT at Old Story Book Island (Thu, Nov 26) and 2026 Turkey Trot NADD event at RyeDoodle Boarding & Training and K-9 Sport Complex (Nov 27–29).

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Rapid City?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are 🦃 FREE COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER 🦃 (Thu, Nov 26), Collaborative Community Cookbook at Aqua and Acre Market (Sat, Nov 14) and 🍁 FRIENDS-GIVING SIP & SHOP AT DANDELION! 🍂 (Fri, Nov 6).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Rapid City?

Yes: 1 more event is listed within reach.

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.