Our Picks: 5 fun things to do in Orlando on Thanksgiving

Our Picks: 5 fun things to do in Orlando on Thanksgiving

By: Yolanda Rivas

2 min read November 2019— There are a few debates around Florida being home to the first Thanksgiving dinner. Some believe it was hosted in St. Augustine in September 1565, when Spanish and Timucuan tribesmen shared a meal that is considered the first community act of religion and thanksgiving. Others believe that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1564 near Jacksonville, when Frenchmen established a colony and were welcomed by Timucuans. Truth or not, what is sure is that Orlandoans celebrate Thanksgiving in many diverse and fun ways. These are our Top 5 picks of fun activities to do in Orlando this Thanksgiving weekend. 

 

 Turkey trots

There are a few turkey trots in Orlando this week. What a fun, family-friendly and different way to enjoy Thanksgiving activities! This is also a nice way to give back to the community and support fellow citizens. Seniors First Turkey Trot 5k at Lake Eola and Avalon Park Foundation 5k Turkey Trot are some of the most anticipated turkey trots in the area. Seniors First’s trot has become one of the oldest and largest 5k fun runs in Orlando, attracting over 5,000 runners. It benefits Seniors First Programs like Meals on Wheels, In-Home Care and others. The proceeds from the Avalon Park trot will benefit neighborhoods, community organizations and the underserved in surrounding neighborhoods. 

Harry P. Leu Gardens

If you are looking for a more calm experience, Leu Gardens will be open on Thanksgiving Day. It will feature The Nature of the Game exhibit, which is a fun interactive exhibit of life-size games with a twist, as described on their website. The location is comprised by a 50-acre botanical garden, including a butterfly garden, a tropical rainforest, and what is considered Florida’s largest formal rose garden. The garden and the historic Leu House Museum were donated to the City of Orlando in 1961 by Harry P. Leu and his wife, Mary Jane. 

Theme park celebrations

As Thanksgiving marks the start of the Christmas season in Orlando, theme parks have numerous events to enjoy the magic of the holidays. From live entertainment to unique international cuisine options to shows featuring animation characters, theme parks kick off the start of the Christmas season in a big way. You wouldn’t want to miss the spectacular decorations and Christmas lights that attract thousands of visitors every year. 

Light up UCF

Running through Sunday, Jan. 5, Light Up UCF offers activities for all ages. This year’s festival features an ice rink, a world-class choreographed light show, free holiday movies, live entertainment, rides like the Ferris wheel, Light Up Express kids train, and a carousel. The festival takes place at Addition Financial Arena in a family-oriented atmosphere. 

Thanksgiving dining

As the No. 1 Thanksgiving traveling destination in the country, you have plenty of options to taste a wide variety of local and international plates. Whether you’re staying in the International Drive tourism district, near the theme parks or looking for a destination experience, there are great restaurants with Thanksgiving dining options to pick from. Universal CityWalk, Disney Springs, ICON Park and nearby towns Winter Park and Mount Dora are spots with a number of restaurants in one place. 

To learn more, visit:

Seniors First Turkey Trot 5k: https://www.trackshack.com/event/240 

Avalon Park Foundation 5k Turkey Trot: https://downtownavalonpark.com/event/2019-turkey-trot/ 

Harry P. Leu Gardens: https://www.leugardens.org/leu-gardens-is-open-thanksgiving-day-2/ 

Light Up UCF: http://www.lightupucf.com/ 

 

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Top 5 Thanksgiving ‘To Do’s’ in the Bay

Top 5 Thanksgiving ‘To Do’s’ in the Bay

By: Max Crampton-Thomas

4 min read November 2019 — Thanksgiving season has once again descended upon the Tampa Bay region. While the holiday is traditionally known for the three F’s, food, family and football, there are other options available to those in the Tampa Bay region who are looking to break traditions and start new ones. These options range from activities that will help work up an appetite for the big meal to options that completely change course from the normal fixings of a Thanksgiving meal. Invest: explores five of the best alternatives for those looking to shake up their Thanksgiving experience.

 Turkey Trots

A traditional Thanksgiving meal is known for two things: oversupply and overconsumption. There may be no better way to prepare the body for this endeavour than participating in one of the variety of “turkey trots” and “fun runs” available to the public on Thanksgiving Day. These exercise-driven events include the Goody Goody Turkey Gobble, which starts at 7 a.m. in front of the Amalie Arena and features options like a 5K, 8K or 1-mile course to be walked or ran. There is also the Clearwater-based Tampa Bay Times Turkey Trot, which has become the largest running event in the Tampa Bay area with an annual average of participation from over 17,000 runners. 

 

Thanksgiving Cruises

Breaking tradition can be difficult, but a Thanksgiving dinner on a yacht may make that change a bit easier to digest. The company Yacht StarShip offers an opportunity to feast on traditional Thanksgiving foods in a completely nontraditional fashion. With options to sail in either Clearwater or Tampa, the promise of no meal preparation or cleanup, and the chance to truly relax for the holiday, a yacht cruise for the night could be a welcomed change from the norm. 

To read more, visit: https://www.yachtstarship.com/event/thanksgiving-cruises/

Wonderland Of Lights And Santa’s Village

Besides being a day to enjoy a nice meal with family, for some, Thanksgiving also signifies the official countdown to Christmas Day. In the Tampa Bay region, residents can begin this countdown with a visit to the Wonderland Of Lights And Santa’s Village. This holiday theme park becomes available to the public Thanksgiving Day and runs until Jan. 5. Theme park visitors can partake in the amusement rides, camel rides, over a mile of light displays and everything else this park has to offer. This is a great option for those looking to not completely break tradition, as the park offers the opportunity to enjoy all its amenities at night, giving time for the traditional Thanksgiving meal at home beforehand. 

For more, visit: www.thewonderlandoflights.com/

13th Annual ThanksVegan Feast

It may be a holiday best known for a feast centered around poultry, but that does not mean that there aren’t options in the region for those who prefer veggies over meat. For the last 13 years, Florida Voices for Animals has been holding their annual ThanksVegan Feast that features zero animal products or byproducts. Held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa, this potluck dinner encourages those attending to bring a vegan dish to contribute to the holiday feast. The event runs from 1:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. and includes a raffle with prizes. 

For more information, visit: https://www.floridavoicesforanimals.org/thanksvegan

Black Friday Shopping

While technically starting the day following Thanksgiving, some Black Friday deals become available to the public the night of the 28th. For some, it has become a tradition to go straight from their Thanksgiving meal to waiting overnight in lines that sometimes stretch multiple blocks, all with the intention of cashing in on mega savings. Thankfully for the residents of Tampa Bay, the region not only offers access to all of the big box retailers, it is also home to a variety of world-class shopping malls like International Plaza and Bay Street, Hyde Park Village and many others. 

Philadelphia celebrates 100th Thanksgiving Day parade

Philadelphia celebrates 100th Thanksgiving Day parade

By Yolanda Rivas

2 min read November 2019 — It is well-known that Philadelphia is a city of firsts in terms of the nation’s history and the development of key industries. It shouldn’t be a surprise then that the City of Brotherly Love also hosts the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the nation. 

This year marks the 100th celebration of the Philadelphia 6ABC Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade. What is now one of Philadelphia’s treasured traditions began as a marketing strategy by former department store Gimbels to promote the beginning of the holiday shopping season. The first parade took place in 1920, shortly after the Benjamin Franklin Parkway was completed. Gimbels hosted the parade until 1986, when the company went out of business, and WPVI-TV took over the parade production. 

“The first parade was started with 15 cars, and 50 store employees,” said Todd Marcocci, a co-producer of the 6abc/Dunkin Thanksgiving Day Parade, in a written statement on the parade’s official website. “It was specifically described that those 15 cars were lavishly decorated in crepe paper.”

Decade after decade, the parade has been a special celebration for families around the region. One of the most exciting moments of the parade was the tradition of Santa climbing a fire department ladder several stories up the Gimbels building to Uncle Wip’s Toyland.

“The route was down the parkway around City Hall, down Market Street to the original Gimbels building. And then Santa would get off and go up the ladder and into the building,” said Robert DiBenedetto of Blue Bell, Pa, in a statement on the parade’s website. 

After five years, the parade started to gain more recognition. Today, the Philadelphia parade features 15 balloons, 16 floats, over 20 marching bands, 66 youth tap, dancing and choir groups and more than 20 celebrities and special guests.

“It’s a family tradition. The streets are filled with happy people,” said 6abc meteorologist and parade co-host Cecily Tynan in a written statement on the parade’s website. “It’s just a perfect way to start your holiday season.” 

To celebrate the 100th Thanksgiving Day parade, the public will have the chance to win several prizes, including a Florida trip for six, tickets to an Eagles vs. Cowboys game, and more. 

This year’s parade will kick off at 8:15 a.m. from 20th & JFK in Philadelphia, and will be broadcast on 6abc from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

To learn more, visit:

6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade:

https://dig.abclocal.go.com/wpvi/html/tdp100/index.html

Thanksgiving in the Queen City

Thanksgiving in the Queen City

By: Felipe Rivas

2 min read November 2019— Gratitude, family, fellowship, outdoor activities, turkey, gravy, and shopping are some of the characteristics closely associated with Thanksgiving Day, and the Queen City offers no shortage of any of these during the fourth Thursday of November through the long weekend. The signature North Carolina cold weather allows for some outdoor, family fun while the feast cooks slowly in the kitchen. From famous parades, Black Friday shopping preparations, and ice skating, Thanksgiving Day in Charlotte offers plenty of activities for the entire family. 

While New York City has the Macy’s Parade, Novant Health, one of the region’s largest employers, has wowed Charlotteans with fancy parade floats, marching bands, live music, and recognizable cartoon characters for the past 72 years. Known as the “Mile of Smiles,” The Novant Health Thanksgiving Parade is a beloved tradition drawing families from across the southeast to Uptown to kick off the start of the holiday season. The parade starts at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day and draws more than 110,000 attendees. The parade begins on 9th Street heading South on Tryon Street to Stonewall Street, where different ethnic organizations display their pride and colors, while marching bands from a variety of educational institutions keep the energy upbeat as they make their way through the Mile of Smiles. The party continues at the end of the route with performances from a bevy of local talent. For those who would rather snooze a bit longer on Thanksgiving morning, the parade will be broadcast online and on local TV stations. 

 

While Thanksgiving Day is a time for reflection, it also marks the start of the holiday shopping season. Black Friday has become a national tradition, and the area’s local shopping malls are gearing up for the influx of shoppers expected to get a leg up on the holiday shopping season. In the spirit of enjoying time with the family, many recognizable stores have chosen to close on Thanksgiving Day and open early during Black Friday. According to bestblackfriday.com, a website that tracks Black Friday deals and news, stores such as Burlington Coat Factory, Costco, Lowe’s, Marshalls, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Petsmart and Sam’s Club, among others, will be closed on Thursday nationwide. Locals looking for deals can head to Concord Mills, SouthPark and Northlake shopping malls early Friday morning, as they have adjusted their schedules to accommodate shoppers. 

 

Families looking to avoid a turkey stupor can also head to the NASCAR Hall of Fame to stretch their legs and ice skate under the night sky. During this time of the year, the mecca for all things NASCAR turns into a magical winter wonderland, known as Holiday on Ice and featuring one of Charlotte’s best ice skating rinks. Families can enjoy selfies with a giant polar bear, or a large Christmas tree, or a walk through the Ceremonial Garden that features thousands of holiday lights. A trip to Holiday on Ice is the perfect way to finish Thanksgiving and embrace the upcoming holiday season. 

 

For more information, visit:

https://www.nascarhall.com/plan-a-visit/holidays-at-the-hall

http://novanthealththanksgivingparade.com/

How Did Thanksgiving Become Game Day for the NFL?

How Did Thanksgiving Become Game Day for the NFL?

By: Sara Warden

2 min read NOVEMBER 2019 — On Thanksgiving, there is only one thing that comes close to turkey in importance for Atlanta sports fans, and that’s the NFL’s game schedule. This year, the Atlanta Falcons will be one of three teams hosting the Thanksgiving Day games, facing off again the New Orleans Saints. 

This will be the Falcons’ fourth Thanksgiving Day game, and having lost against the Saints last year on their home turf, this one is sure to be a must-watch. Those fans going to watch the game live could also feel a little pain in their wallets: Last year’s Saints-Falcons game was the most expensive Thanksgiving Day game for fans, with an average ticket price of $518 on the secondary market.

No doubt, Thanksgiving football is big business for the NFL. In 2018, NBC’s primetime viewing of the Falcons-Saints game brought in an 11.4/24 rating, up 18% from 2017’s Washington-New York Giants primetime game on NBC and the network’s best Thanksgiving night NFL performance since 2015. For the rights to a selection of high-profile games that includes the Thanksgiving game, Super Bowl Broadcasts and Thursday Night Football, NBC is paying $1.1 billion a year to the NFL.

That explains why the tradition stuck, but why did it start? Although it doesn’t quite go back to The Mayflower, the Thanksgiving game is a long-standing tradition spanning back as far as 1920. Political upheaval during the time meant the games were sporadic, but eventually in 1934, George A. Richards bought the Portsmouth Spartans, renamed them the Detroit Lions and gave Thanksgiving another try. 

This was largely a solution to the problem of low attendance during the year, but the Thanksgiving game became a rousing success. First, people already had the day off work and second, it became an escape for those looking to perhaps spend less quality time with family. More than 26,000 people booked tickets weeks in advance and reportedly thousands more were turned away at the gate.

In 1966, the Dallas Cowboys saw the success of the “Detroit Lions vs…” games and decided to get in on the action. Since then, both teams have played each year, with one additional game added to the roster. This year’s Falcons-Saints game will be played in the new, state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz stadium – “the finest sports and entertainment facility in the world,” according to Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council.

The stadium was funded by a largely taxpayer-based system, in a $2.4 billion investment based on bonds and hotel taxes. And Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms believes the stadium may allow Atlanta to host many more high-profile sporting events, including these popular Thanksgiving games. “I think it’s well worth the investment, and when you look at the long-lasting impact and our ability to showcase Atlanta, sometimes you have to spend a little money to make a little money,” she told USA Today.

To learn more, visit:

https://www.metroatlantachamber.com/councils/atlanta-sports-council

https://www.atlantaga.gov/government/mayor-s-office/meet-the-mayor

Our Picks: 5 fun things to do in Orlando on Thanksgiving

Florida: Home of the Real First Thanksgiving?

By: Sara Warden

2 min read November 2019 — When we think of Thanksgiving, generally we conjure up images of hats with oversized buckles, turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and The Mayflower. But according to historian Kathleen Deagan, research curator emerita of historical archaeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, the first Thanksgiving was not exactly as we may imagine. Rather than taking place in Plymouth, the first Thanksgiving feast was actually celebrated in Florida.

 

The meal was shared by the Spanish Conquistadors and the native Timucuans, more than 50 years before the Mayflower arrived on American shores, according to historians. Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, a Spanish explorer and 800 soldiers and sailors landed on Florida’s shores near St. Augustine before holding the Mass of Thanksgiving.

“The holiday we celebrate today is really something that was invented in a sense,” said Deagan in an interview with the University of Florida. “By the time the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, the people who settled America’s first colony with Menéndez probably had children and grandchildren living there.”

So instead of buckled shoes and hats, think suits of armor and 16th century Spanish garb. Instead of turkey, think salted pork, and instead of pumpkin pie, think garbanzo beans, olives and hard sea biscuits. “It was the first community act of religion and thanksgiving in the first permanent settlement in the land,” wrote University of Florida professor emeritus of history Michael Gannon in his book The Cross in the Sand.

Other sources say there were many other “Thanksgiving” ceremonies in Florida well before even Menéndez, including the landing of French explorer Rene Goulaine de Laudonnière at Jacksonville in 1564, Hernando de Soto in 1529 and Juan Ponce de León in 1513. After approximately 70 days at sea, all most likely would have had to depend on the kindness of the natives for food and shelter when they landed on American shores.

Some argue that the Plymouth mass is remembered as the first Thanksgiving because it was the first that spawned a yearly tradition. “None of these events were made anything of historically, or even rediscovered, until the 20th century, and thus did not contribute to our modern American holiday tradition,” said James W. Baker, author of Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American Holiday. 

But regardless of where the first holiday was held, the true meaning behind Thanksgiving has evolved to symbolize coming together with friends and neighbors to break bread and overcome differences. There is no doubt that this tradition has immense relevance for states such as Florida, with their rich patchwork of cultures. “The fact is, the first colony was a melting pot and the cultural interactions of the many groups of people in the colony were much more like the U.S. is today than the British colonies ever were,” said Gifford Waters, historical archaeology collection manager at the Florida Museum.

To learn more, visit: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/

 

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