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Thanksgiving Events in Reston 2026

Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Reston 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 Reston.

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You’re warmly invited

to

ThanksgivingDinner

Date
Thursday, November 26
Time
4:00 PM

β€œCome hungry and bring your stories. There’s always room at our table.”

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Top Thanksgiving events in Reston

All Thanksgiving events in Reston 2026

Fri, Nov 13The Garden at Dream Chasers Coffee Lab, Alexandria

Friendsgiving β€” A Furthermore Supper Club Gathering

A unique interactive paella Tasting experience. accompanied by traditional seasonal side, cravable desserts and custom drink experience. Furthermore Supper Club invites you to our Friendsgiving gathering,

5:00 PM

$87.21FriendsgivingLive music

Nov 13–14Wild Days, Washington2 days

A FRIENDSGIVING BASH

# A FRIENDSGIVING BASH πŸ₯‚ **Good friends. Good music. One BIG BASH.** Thanksgiving is around the corner, and we're getting the friends together a little early! All Good Friends x All Good Nights Nation are joining forces for **A Friendsgiving BASH**, br

9:00 PM

Friendsgiving

Sat, Nov 14SALAZAR, Washington

Grateful & Gay: A Sapphic Chosen Family Affair

Gather with your chosen familyβ€”or come find more! Join us for a sapphic celebration of good food, drinks, connection, creativity, and dancin Grateful & Gay: A Sapphic Chosen Family Affair <strong

4:00 PM

$15.52 – $21.18

Sat, Nov 14Twin Oaks Tavern Winery, Bluemont

Friendsgiving Guided Food and Wine Pairing

Three sommelier-led food & wine pairings to toast the season with friends Gather 'round for Friendsgiving at Twin Oaks! 🍁🍷 Before the holiday rush, join us for a

5:00 PM

$44.52 – $60.54Friendsgiving

Sat, Nov 14The Electric Palm, Woodbridge

The Chocolate Factory Band Pre-Thanksgiving Holiday Bash!!! @ The Electric Palm, Woodbridge, VA!!!

π‡π„π˜ ππ„π€π”π“πˆπ…π”π‹ ππ„πŽππ‹π„!!!! π–πžπžπžπžπžβ€™π«πž 𝐁𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐜𝐀!!!! That’s Right!!! The π‚π‡πŽπ‚πŽπ‹π€π“π„ π…π€π‚π“πŽπ‘π˜ 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃 πˆπ’ π‚πŽπŒπˆππ† π‡πŽπŒπ„ ππšπ›π²!!! Right back to where it all began 5 years ago 𝐓𝐇𝐄 π„π‹π„π‚π“π‘πˆπ‚ ππ€π‹πŒ!!! We haven’t hit The Palm all year

8:00 PM

Sun, Nov 153530 Water St NW, Washington

2026 Turkey Tumble for Autism 5k/10k/Half

Points count towards 5k, 10k, Endurance & Back of the Pack Series. Points will also count towards the Fall Series. Find more info about the series here. Register Now! Start

8:00 AM

Turkey trot

Sun, Nov 15Pinstripes, North Bethesda

Friendsgiving

Join Wives & Wine for a Friendsgiving Girls’ Night Out at Pinstripes Bethesda! No hosting. No cooking. No cleaning up. Just wine, good food, good conversation and a room full of women who came to have a

4:00 PM

$23.18 – $33.85Friendsgiving

Mon, Nov 16Piece Out Del Ray, Alexandria

Friendsgiving Wine Dinner

Gather around our table for Friendsgiving! Enjoy Casey's favorite wines paired with specialty Thanksgiving inspired courses. Join us for a Friendsgiving celebration β€” hosted by our beloved manager, Casey, w

6:00 PM

$103.22Dinner & brunchFriendsgiving

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.

Links go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, AllEvents earns from qualifying purchases.

Thanksgiving events near Reston

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 β€œMary 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 β€” 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 β€œFranksgiving”, 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 Reston: frequently asked questions

When are Thanksgiving events in Reston in 2026?

Thanksgiving events in Reston run from Nov 12 to Nov 29, 2026: 100 events.

What is on in Reston on Thanksgiving Day?

16 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including 2026 Burke Lake Turkey Trot 5k/10k, 2026 Drumstick Turkey Trot 5k/8Miler at Gravelly Point and 2026 Georgetown Turkey Trot 5k & 10k.

Where can I have Thanksgiving dinner in Reston?

12 dinners, brunches and buffets are listed, including Friendsgiving Wine Dinner at Piece Out Del Ray, Free Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Blue Ridge Primary and Friendsgiving Soul food Dinner Party at Lake Presidential Golf Club. Tables go early for the holiday, so book ahead where you can.

Are there turkey trots in Reston?

Yes: 2026 Turkey Tumble for Autism 5k/10k/Half (Sun, Nov 15), 2026 Dominion Valley Turkey Trot 5k (Sat, Nov 21) and 2026 Port City Turkey Trot 5k & 10k at Port City Brewing Company (Sat, Nov 21).

Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in Reston?

2026 DC Punk Rock Flea at Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal Church, Ecstatic Dance Arlington | Gratitude Dance + Food Drive w/ Ghost Pipe | Nov 21 at Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA and 4th annual Community Thanksgiving are looking for helping hands.

Are there free Thanksgiving events in Reston?

Yes: 31 of the 100 listed are free, including FRIENDSGIVING TRIVIA: The One With All the Thanksgivings | Alamo Woodbridge at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Woodbridge, FRIENDSGIVING TRIVIA: TOW All the Thanksgivings | Alamo Loudoun at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema One Loudoun and FRIENDSGIVING TRIVIA: TOW All the Thanksgivings | Alamo Crystal City at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Crystal City. Tickets for the rest run from $7.18 to $1,219.

What are the best Thanksgiving events in Reston?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade (Sat, Nov 21), The Dunn Foundation Annual Free Turkey Giveaway Drive-Thru at Iverson Mall (Sat, Nov 21) and Alexandria Official Thanksgiving Eve Bar Crawl 2026 at Alexandria Bier Garden (Nov 25–26).

Are there Thanksgiving events near Reston?

Yes: 3 more events are listed within reach, in Baltimore and Maurertown.

When is Thanksgiving 2026?

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