Fri, Nov 277:00 AM
ERIC BERINGER LIVE @ THE COTTONWOOD
43504 SD Highway 52
Thanksgiving Events in Yankton 2026
Celebrate Thanksgiving 2026 in Yankton 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 Yankton.
Listings updated
Curated by the AllEvents team, for you
Top Thanksgiving events in Yankton
All Thanksgiving events in Yankton 2026
Tue, Nov 1718 Church St, Vermillion
🦃 Turkey BINGO! A Family Food Drive Fundraiser
Gobble up some fun for a great cause! Join us at the Vermillion Public Library for our annual Turkey BINGO night. This is a festive and exciting event perfect for the whole family! Instead of paying for a card, we ask for a generous donation: ➡️ How to
Volunteer
Wed, Nov 25Yankton, South Dakota
Face Painting/Balloon Twisting at a Private Family Thanksgiving Party
I am invited to face paint and balloon twist to a private family Thanksgiving Party. I am so excited to be a part of this to bring smiles to their party through Face painting and balloon art. Thank you for inviting me this Thanksgiving Party.
Wed, Nov 25504 W. 27th St.
Thanksgiving Eve Karaoke
Join us for a Thanksgiving Eve Karaoke Party! Music provided by Shane Bertsch
Thu, Nov 26Pulse of Life Church, Vermillion
Community Thanksgiving Meal
Join us for our annual Thanksgiving Community Meal celebrating our wonderful local and organic foods grown in South Dakota. Celebrating a blessed and bountiful harvest. RSVP to 605-659-4744.
Sat, Nov 2843504 SD Highway 52
KEVIN KOLINER LIVE SATURDAY NIGHT @ THE COTTONWOOD
Yankton Native, KEVIN KOLINER, is coming back home for The Holidays and we are beyond excited to have our brother Kevin back @ The Wood on Saturday, November 28th, 2026 7PM-11PM!🔥🎶 Kevin was so busy this past summer we couldn’t make a date work to get hi
Sat, Nov 28121 W 3rd Street
Tim Dupraz Live Music at The Copper Room Lounge
Join us in The Copper Room Lounge on Thanksgiving weekend for live music from Tim Dupraz!
Live music
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.
- Host
Instant-read thermometerThe one tool between a dry bird and a juicy oneShop on Amazon - Host
Roasting pan with rackLifts the turkey so it browns all overShop on Amazon - Host
Food warming matEvery side still warm when the last guest sitsShop on Amazon - Guest
Casserole carrierFor the dish you promised to bring, 9×13Shop on Amazon - Table
Thanksgiving tableclothAutumn leaves for the long tableShop on Amazon - Table
Cheesecloth table runnerSoft and gathered, this year’s table lookShop on Amazon - Table
Gratitude conversation cardsSomething to talk about besides the gameShop on Amazon - Kids
Coloring tableclothKeeps the kids’ table busy till pieShop on Amazon - Friendsgiving
Plates and napkins setFor Friendsgiving, and no washing upShop on Amazon - Run
Turkey hatRun the Turkey Trot dressed for dinnerShop on Amazon
Thanksgiving events near Yankton
Turkey trots, dinners and parades in the towns nearby
Thu, Nov 19315 N Phillips Ave, Sioux Falls
Fellowship Jazz Center & Nathan Hults
Mon, Nov 23Convolo, Sioux Falls
Orchards & Oak
Wed, Nov 25310 West Industrial Drive, Harrisburg
🦃 Thanksgiving Break Family Jump Fest @ Air Madness 🤸
Family friendly
Wed, Nov 25106 S Indiana Ave, Sioux Falls
Free Live Music - Night Before Thanksgiving Party - w/ Crabgrass Crew @ Phil's
Live music
Wed, Nov 25330 North Main Avenue, Sioux Falls
WILEYS DRUNKSGIVING
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.
- 1621After their first harvest, the Plymouth colonists hold three days of feasting. Massasoit arrives with about 90 Wampanoag men, who bring five deer.
- 1789George Washington proclaims the first national day of thanksgiving, for Thursday, 26 November.
- 1846–63Sarah Josepha Hale, the magazine editor who wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, writes to five presidents asking for one national day.
- 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.
- 1896Buffalo runs its first YMCA Turkey Trot, now the oldest footrace held every year in North America — a year older than the Boston Marathon.
- 1924Macy’s holds its first parade in New York, with animals from the Central Park Zoo. The giant balloons arrive in 1927.
- 1934The Detroit Lions play on Thanksgiving for the first time, and football becomes part of the afternoon.
- 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.
- 1957Canada settles on the second Monday of October for its own Thanksgiving, which goes back to 1578.
- 1989George H. W. Bush gives the first formal presidential turkey pardon, now a White House tradition.
Thanksgiving in Yankton: frequently asked questions
When are Thanksgiving events in Yankton in 2026?
Thanksgiving events in Yankton run from Nov 17 to Nov 28, 2026: 10 events.
What is on in Yankton on Thanksgiving Day?
3 events are listed for Thursday, November 26, including Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk, 2026 Turkey Trot at The Brewery and Community Thanksgiving Meal at Pulse of Life Church.
Are there turkey trots in Yankton?
Yes: Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk (Thu, Nov 26) and 2026 Turkey Trot at The Brewery (Thu, Nov 26).
Where can I volunteer this Thanksgiving in Yankton?
🦃 Turkey BINGO! A Family Food Drive Fundraiser is looking for helping hands.
What are the best Thanksgiving events in Yankton?
The most popular on AllEvents right now are ERIC BERINGER LIVE @ THE COTTONWOOD (Fri, Nov 27), Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk (Thu, Nov 26) and KEVIN KOLINER LIVE SATURDAY NIGHT @ THE COTTONWOOD (Sat, Nov 28).
Are there Thanksgiving events near Yankton?
Yes: 8 more events are listed within reach, in Sioux Falls, Harrisburg and Sioux City.
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.