With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, many people are preparing to gather with their families, enjoy festive meals and partake in classic traditions like watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the NFL’s Thanksgiving games.
However, there are many people this year who may not be able to join their families for the holiday, may not be able to put a Thanksgiving meal on the table, or who simply want to mix things up for their holiday plans.
Whatever the case may be; whether you’re in Spokane, the Tri-Cities, North Idaho or Montana; Nonstop Local has cultivated a list of Thanksgiving events happening across the region that can accommodate your needs.
Spokane Area
On Saturday, November 15, the Nourish Spokane: Community Soup Kitchen and Pantry, located at 205 North University Road, will host a Thanksgiving Meal from 2-4 p.m. With the help of volunteers, Nourish Spokane will offer free warm meals to the community. Those interested in volunteering can register online.
On Saturday, November 15, the Village Tavern, located at 13119 West Sunset Highway in Airway Heights, will host a “Thanksgiving Side Cook Off” at 2 p.m. Local residents are encouraged to bring their best Thanksgiving side dishes for the competition. Attendees will have the opportunity to taste each dish and place votes for the winners. All proceeds will go to the tavern’s “Annual Angel Tree,” which aims to help children and families in need during the holiday season.
On Wednesday, November 26, Knitting Factory, located at 919 West Sprague Avenue in Spokane, will host the “Thanksgiving Throwdown 11” event, starting at 6:30 p.m. The event will feature a free show for all ages. Tickets can be purchased online.
On Thursday, November 27, Negative Split will host the “Huffin’ For The Stuffin’” event, starting at 832 North Howard Street in Spokane at 8:40 a.m. The event will feature a 5K, 10K, “Kids Fun Run” and more, all leading participants on courses that run through Riverfront Park. To find more information and to register, visit the event website.
On Thursday, November 27, the SAN Pride Center, located at 715 East Sprague Avenue Suite 115, will host a Thanksgiving Potluck. Event organizers will be providing some of the “staples,” and attendees can sign up to contribute other foods to the spread online.
North Idaho
On Saturday, November 22, the American Legion Post 143, located at 1138 East Poleline Avenue in Post Falls, will host their “Free Community Thanksgiving Dinner” from 1-4 p.m. The event will take place in Post 143’s banquet hall, and is made possible by community donations. Organizers will serve cooked turkey with fixings and pie for dessert.
On Sunday, November 23, the North Country Chapel will host a Thanksgiving dinner at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds’ Jacklin Building #25. The event is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy will be provided by the church, and everyone is welcome to attend. Volunteers are needed to help prepare the food, set up the event, serve food and clean up. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the church at 208-773-7100.
On Thursday, November 27, Corby’s Bar, located at 2828 West Seltice Way in Post Falls, will host a free Thanksgiving Dinner for anyone in need. The meal will be served inside the bar for anyone of ages 21 and older. Families with children can call 208-773-7002 ahead of time, and Corby’s staff will prepare meals for pickup. For those wanting to support the event, the bar is accepting non-perishable food donations, monetary contributions and volunteers to help during the event. Anyone interested in helping can call the same number listed above.
On Thursday, November 27, the Coeur d’Alene Resort, located at 115 South 2nd Street in Coeur d’Alene, will host “Thanksgiving by the Lake.” The celebration will feature multiple luxurious dining options, including Thanksgiving Buffet at Dockside from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., Beverly’s Thanksgiving Dinner until from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m., Thanksgiving Day at Tito’s Italian Grill from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m., and Thanksgiving To-Go Dinners prepared by the Chefs of the Coeur d’Alene Resort. For more information, visit the resort website.
Tri-Cities
On Saturday, November 15, the Tri-Cities Food Co-op, located at 1420 Jadwin Avenue in Richland, will host their annual Thanksgiving Market event from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will feature “local goods, season favorites and all the cozy vibes you need to kick off the holiday season right.”
On Monday, November 24, 2nd Harvest will host the “Columbia Basin Turkey Drive” in collaboration with multiple food banks in the Tri-Cities area. With the goal of making sure every family can celebrate Thanksgiving, 2nd Harvest is asking each household to pick a food bank closest to them from the list of options, select an appointment date and time, then fill out a form to register for a meal. After registering online, families will be able to show up to their selected food bank on November 24 and pick up their Thanksgiving meal at the appointment time.
On Wednesday, November 26, Town Square Adult Day Care, located at 825 North Edison Street Suite 130 in Kennewick will host a “Thanksgiving Pie Social” from 2:30-3:30 p.m. The event will offer “friendship, laughter, and—of course—delicious pie!” Event organizers also announced that Miss Tri-Cities WA and Miss Tri-Cities Teen WA will make an appearance as special guests. Admission will be free, but attendees are asked to RSVP online by November 25 so that organizers can provide a sufficient number of pies for everyone.
On Wednesday, November 26, Layered Cake Artistry, located at 117 West Kennewick Avenue in Kennewick, will host their annual Thanksgiving Market from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Working with multiple vendors, the market will offer a variety of Thanksgiving treats, including desserts and flowers. A selection of the items that will be featured at the market are available for pre-order online.
On Wednesday, November 26, Barnard Griffin Winery, located at 878 Tulip Lane D in Richland, will host a Thanksgiving themed Charcuterie Workshop event from 6:30-8 p.m. Attendees will be shown two different ways to prepare a charcuterie board, arrange cheeses, and enjoy food and wine pairings. Tickets are available online.
On Thursday, November 27, Central Church, located at 1124 Stevens Drive in Richland, will host its annual Thanksgiving Potluck at 12 p.m. Event organizers stated that all are welcome to attend the event, and that anyone interested in helping set up can arrive at 9 a.m. For more information, call 509-943-1143.
On Thursday, November 27, American Red Cross will host the “Run for the Red Turkey Trot Presented by Gesa Credit Union” at Columbia Park in Kennewick. Festivities begin at 8:15 a.m. and the Chip Trotters race will begin at 8:50 a.m., while all other races begin at 9 a.m. Event organizers stated that the event aims to support members of the local community who are victims of home fires. More information on the races and sponsoring participants can be found on the American Red Cross website.
On Thursday, November 27, Water2Wine Cruises will host a Thanksgiving Brunch Cruise that launches from the Columbia Point Marina at 11 a.m. The 2-hour scenic cruise along the Columbia River can be enjoyed from private tables that are available for reservation online. Water2Wine will offer a holiday brunch menu along with complimentary coffee and tea and a full-service bar.
Montana
On Friday, November 21, Helena Food Share will host the “Turkey Challenge” event at the Lewis & Clark Library, located at 120 South Last Chance Gulch Street in Helena. The event is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Community members can donate turkeys or funds at the library to “help provide holiday meals for our neighbors in need.” More information about the event can be found on the Helena Food Share website.
On Wednesday, November 26, “Operation Spread the Joy” will host a free Thanksgiving dinner for the community at The Pen, located at 923 Main Street in Deer Lodge. The event is scheduled to take place from 4-7 p.m. Meal deliveries will be available from 4-5 p.m. and must be reserved by calling 406-490-2066.
On Thursday, November 27, the Yellowstone Rim Runners will host the 15th annual “Run Turkey Run!” event in downtown Billings. The event will feature a five-kilometer “Road Race” at 9 a.m. and a “Street Mile Dash” at 10 a.m. There will also be a costume contest held at 8:30 a.m. Anyone interested in participating can register online.
On Thursday, November 27, Rock Creek Resort, located at 6380 US-212 in Red Lodge, will host the “Thanksgiving Feast by the Creek” at 12 p.m. Attendees will get to experience a “festive feast of traditional favorites.” Reservations can be made by calling 406-446-1111.
On Thursday, November 27, Run Wild Missoula will host the “Turkey Day 8K & 3K Family Fun Run” event at the University of Montana Campus Fitness & Recreation Center, located at 32 Campus Drive in Missoula. The event will feature a scenic course around the university campus and along the Clark Fork River Trail. According to event organizers, all donations and a portion of proceeds will go directly to the Missoula Food Bank. Registration is available online.
On Thursday, November 27, “A Carousel For Missoula,” located at 101 Carousel Drive, will offer free carousel rides from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event is made possible by the Carousel’s staff in addition to volunteers.
On Thursday, November 27, Gallatin Ice, located at 901 North Black Avenue in Bozeman, will host the “ThankSkating” event. Attendees who make a non-perishable food donation—collected on behalf of Gallatin Valley Food Bank—can skate for free during two sessions, from 10-11:45 a.m. and 12:45-2:30 p.m. Skate rentals are available for five dollars at the event.
On Thursday, November 27, Bozeman Real Estate Group will host a free Thanksgiving dinner at Bourbon, located at 515 West Aspen Street in Bozeman. The event, open to all community members, is scheduled to take place from 12-3 p.m. For more information, call Bozeman Real Estate Group at 406-587-1717.
On Thursday, November 27, HRDC’s Gallatin Valley Food Bank and Big Sky Wind Drinkers will host the “Huffing For Stuffing” fundraising event at the Museum of the Rockies, located at 600 West Kagy Boulevard in Bozeman. The event will feature multiple races, including a 10K, 5K, Kids’ Run and more. Proceeds from the event will support the Gallatin Valley Food Bank. To find more information about the races and to register online, visit the event website.
On Thursday, November 27, Helena Vigilante Runners will host the annual “Crossroads Turkey Trot” at Crossroads Sports & Fitness, located at 1013 Dearborn Avenue in Helena. The event, starting at 10 a.m., will feature a 1k, 5k and 10k run as well as a random drawing for turkeys and pies at 11 a.m. Event organizers stated that proceeds will be used to help support local organizations. Registration is available online.
On Friday, November 28, the 40th annual Holiday Parade will be hosted in downtown Billings, starting at 6:30 p.m. The event will feature over 60 holiday floats as well as Santa riding in the parade’s finale. The event will also be broadcasted on Community 7 Television.
