Cape & Islands - Happy Thanksgiving!

The first "Thanksgiving" in 1621 was a traditional three day English harvest celebration to which the Pilgrims invited Massasoit, Chief of the the Wamapanoag. It wasn't until the nineteenth century that this event became identified with the American Thanksgiving holiday. Visit Plimoth Plantation to learn about the "First Thanksgiving".

Need help with your own Thanksgiving celebration? Check out Ocean Spray's Kitchen Plan-it for "tasty tips for a delicious holiday". Let's Talk Turkey—A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey offers important food safety on how to select, prepare, roast and store any leftover turkey! Visit Watts Family Farm in Sandwich, or The FARM Institute at Katama Farm in Edgartown for a local turkey. Don't feel like cooking, make dinner reservations at a Cape Cod restaurant or better yet, impose on a relative to make the dinner! Then relax and eat!

There's lots to do besides eat... High school football non-conference Thanksgiving Day rival games include Barnstable at Falmouth, Nauset at Dennnis-Yarmouth, Mashpee at Sandwich, and Wareham at Bourne - all kicking off at 10AM. The 106th Annual Lighting of the Pilgrim Monument is Wednesday, November 22 at 5:00 PM. Those on Nantucket will want to kick off the Holiday Season by checking out The Festival of Wreaths at The Whaling Museum opening on Nov 22.

Need some exercise before dinner? Those visiting, or living in, Nantucket may want to get up early and take the 16th Annual Cold Turkey Plunge. The 12th Annual Chatham Turkey Trot steps off at 7:00AM - Please don't forget to bring bag of non-perishable grocery items for the Lower Cape Outreach Council.

The tradition of the 14 year "We Gather Together 5K" continues this year in Sandwich with the "Thanksgiving Sandwich 5K~2017" to benefit food pantries of Sandwich & Bourne. Not a runner? Don't let the spirit of giving run its course, please consider making a donation to the Sandwich Food Pantry or another food pantry of your choice.

The fun doesn't stop after Thursday; there is plenty to do on Cape Cod all weekend long! Work off any extra consumed calories while contributing to a good cause by running the Annual Andrea Holden Thanksgiving Race on Saturday. Heritage Museums & Gardens' Annual Celebration of Lights, Gardens Aglow, opens Thanksgiving weekend. The 8th Annual Glassblowers' Christmas & Special Exhibit, featuring a magical display of color and childhood memories, at Sandwich Glass Museum opens on Nov 13 and continues through Dec 20. For those who feel the urge to shop, please remember that November 25 is Small Business Saturday - Please support local businesses! Check our calendar for more events. Or just take a walk!

Happy Thanksgiving! from all of us at AllCapeCod.com