Best Thanksgiving Family Celebrations And Events
Celebrate your Thanksgiving this year with a variety of events and celebrations throughout the Sacramento area. The theme running throughout these events is giving back to the community, with food drives being the main means for helping your Sacramento neighbors. The food banks are in high gear this holiday season and many events do their part to assist. If your interests are shopping holiday vendors, taking the children to do arts and crafts or to see puppet theatre, running to feed the hungry, a romantic cruise on the river or watching the Festival of Lights to benefit the Birth Connection, they are all sure to entertain you and your family during this Thanksgiving season.
Harvest Festival® Original Art & Craft Show
Cal Expo
1600 Exposition Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 263-3000
www.harvestfestival.com
Date: November 16-18
Sacramento's Harvest Festival is returning to Cal Expo this holiday season to showcase the best in holiday shopping for Sacramento-area residents. Hundreds of vendors will be selling their wares and there will be live entertainment for all ages including an elf on stilts. The AT&T Pioneer Volunteer network will be offering parcel check and gift wrapping. A free Children's ID Program designed to teach safety to the children will be available to fingerprint and photograph your little ones. The Elk Grove Food Bank is offering a $2 discount on senior or general admission with a donation of non-perishable food. Wheelchair and motorized scooter rentals will be available. There will also be drawings and prizes at the event.
Fairytale Town
3901 Land Park Drive
Sacramento, CA 95822
(916) 808-5233
www.fairytaletown.org
Date: November 23
Friday, November 23 is Free Admission Day at Fairytale Town with a donation of at least one canned good per person. Donations are being collected for the Sacramento Food Bank Holiday Spirit of Giving Food Drive. Arts and craft activities will be available during the event for the children and The Children's Theatre will be showing puppet art.
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19th Annual Run to Feed the Hungry
Starts on J St. (signs will be posted)
Sacramento, CA 95816
(916) 313-7654
www.runtofeedthehungry.com
Date: November 22
Start Time: 10K at 8:35 a.m.; 5K at 9 a.m.
Click here for registration information.
The 19th Annual Run to Feed the Hungry will be held on Thanksgiving morning, November 22. This event is expected to attract over 27,000 participants. It is one of the largest races in the United States. Many area families have added this event to their Thanksgiving holiday tradition. California elite runners look forward to this annual 5K and 10K event winding through the beautiful streets of east Sacramento. Proceeds from this will benefit the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services.
Hornblower Thanksgiving Buffet Cruise
1206 Front St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(415) 788-7020
www.hornblower.com
Date: November 22
The Hornblower yacht is offering a Thanksgiving buffet cruise Thursday, November 22 for those that want to relax on the river. Celebrate Thanksgiving Day with your loved ones enjoying a three-hour cruise. Dance with that special someone to live music that will be provided. Sip on wine or a cocktail as the breathtaking scenery floats by. Check out Hornblower's Facebook page for more information.
(credit: thebirthconnection.org)
A Festival of Trees
California Automobile Museum
2200 Front St.
Sacramento, CA 95818
(916) 451-9868
www.thebirthconnection.org
Date: November 18
November 18 beginning at 4 p.m., the Festival of Trees will feature "A Taste of Northern California." Surrounded by trees on display that were decorated by local merchants and organizations, the festival will have auctions on items such as weekend getaways, vacations for the family, items for the children, gifts and more. Community time and talent has gone into the decorating of the Christmas wreaths and trees that are to be raffled. This event will be held at the California Automobile Museum and will benefit The Birth Connection.
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Deb Ling is a freelance writer covering all things Sacramento. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.