Friends come together as families Thanksgiving 2024, Denver Rescue Mission, Food bank, many others need your help

by Glen Richardson

Turkey trot: Wash Park will once again host the Mile High United Way Turkey Trot on November 28th. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the race begins at 9:00 a.m

Gotta love Thanksgiving: Unlike Halloween, there's nothing scary here. In addition, unlike Christmas, there is no need to buy gifts. Of course, Thanksgiving is about expressing gratitude. It is a formal opportunity to reflect on the blessings and challenges of the year and to promote a sense of gratitude and perspective. It is a holiday that strengthens bonds and shared experiences between family and friends.

Thanksgiving always falls on the fourth Thursday in November. The holiday begins as early as November 22nd and may not arrive until November 28th this year. Additionally, the holiday offers fun and often free events as well as numerous family-friendly activities. For many, it is also a once-a-year event where extended family members come together, bridging both geographical and emotional distances.

While an old-fashioned, home-cooked Thanksgiving is still common, by 2024, half of Americans plan to eat out. This year, 64% of respondents say they will eat all or part of their holiday meal at a restaurant. Why? “It's just easier.” Additionally, professionally prepared food is preferred. Many also believe that it is cheaper than buying all the ingredients to cook at home.

Options for eating out

When this article went to press, OpenTable — the restaurant platform that helps diners make reservations and help restaurants succeed — listed 10 local restaurants open on Thanksgiving. As the holiday approaches, more restaurants will announce their Thanksgiving plans.

Thanksgiving Day: The local Jones Restaurant at the Halcyon Hotel in Cherry Creek is serving Thanksgiving from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m

Capital grid: The restaurant at 1250 Larimer St. offers slow-roasted turkey and gravy with brioche-sage stuffing. We serve French green beans with Marcona almonds and cranberry pear chutney. Sam's mashed potatoes and pecan-crusted sweet potatoes with hot honey are also served at the table. Pumpkin cheesecake is served for dessert. Pre-order from October 31st to November 7th. Information: 303-539-2500.

Del Frisco's Grille: The restaurant, located at 100 St. Paul St. in Cherry Creek North, had not announced what was being served as of this issue's press time. In previous years, a three-course meal with roasted turkey breast was served. Information: 303-320-8529.

Edge Restaurant: Spend Thanksgiving at the Steakhouse Four Seasons Hotel at 1111 14th St., will serve a Thanksgiving buffet from noon to 8 p.m. Starters include an apple Waldorf salad and a raw vegetable bar. The carving station features peppercorn-crusted prime rib, bourbon-maple-glazed ham and sage pesto turkey roulade, served with spiced acorn squash and sweet potato casserole. Desserts from the hotel's pastry chef include pumpkin pie parfait, an apple pie cone or brown butter sage pie. Information: 303-389-3050.

FIRE: Restaurant in ART Hotel There's a Thanksgiving buffet at 1201 Broadway on November 28th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., serving all your favorite dishes, including roasted white and dark meats, sourdough stuffing, whipped potatoes with country gravy and green beans, as well as cranberry sauces, pumpkin pie and desserts. Information: 720-709-4431.

Local Jones: Located in Halcyon Hotel Located at 248 Columbine St., the restaurant will serve Thanksgiving from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The chef handles all the cooking and baking, including two signature pies: Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie. Information: 720-772-5022.

Focus on food: Support the Food Bank of the Rockies by donating time and money to the region's largest hunger relief organization. Photo by Joel Fischer.

Toro Latin Kitchen: The pan-Latin American restaurant with Asian influences Hotel Clio Thanksgiving will be served at 150 Clayton Lane in Cherry Creek from noon to 4 p.m. From appetizer to dessert, enjoy the prix fixe Thanksgiving menu featuring achiote-marinated turkey breast accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes and drizzled with cranberries and port wine demiglace. Information: 303-253-3000.

Turkey hamburger: You don't have to wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy turkey. The cross-country skier Cherry cricket At 2641 E. 2nd Ave. Cherry Creek North serves turkey burgers daily. Information: 303-322-7666.

Turkey sandwiches: Sam's #3 Glendale, 435 S. Cherry St., serves a three-story turkey sandwich and an Open Face Hot Turkey Sandwich daily. Information: 303-333-4403.

No more Turkey: Want a change from turkey this Thanksgiving? Ace Eat Serve The restaurant is on the corner of 17th Ave. and Pennsylvania St. in the middle of town and serves whole Peking ducks on Thanksgiving. Information: 303-800-7705.

Turkey Day Activities

Popular holiday parade: The 98th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will be broadcast again on NBC from New York City on November 28th.

51st Mile High United Way Turkey Trot: The event is over Washington ParkNovember 28, registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Opening ceremonies will take place at 8:45 a.m., followed by the first of four launch waves every half hour starting at 9:00 a.m Lil Gobbler Family Fun Run Starts at 10:40 a.m. There is also one Lil Gobbler Family Zone on Finish the village.

Pumpkin Pie 5K & 10K: Races take place City parkon Saturday, November 16th, from 9 a.m. Finishers will receive a slice of pumpkin pie along with Thanksgiving treats.

Devour, devour, give

Denver Rescue Mission: It expects to serve 290,000 meals this holiday season, up 5% from 2023. It also expects to serve more than 3,039 Thanksgiving Banquet-in-A-Box meals, as well as an additional 1,000 meals to guests of the Mission on Thanksgiving Day. Information: 303-297-1815.

Epworth Foundation: In honor of dad Bruce Randolph, the foundation will distribute Thanksgiving baskets on November 17th starting at 9 a.m. More than 5,000 hampers are expected to be distributed to 40,000 people. Baskets weigh approximately 45 pounds. and are supposed to support a small family. Information: 303-296-6287.

Food for thought: Consider donating time, food and money this year to help the Denver Rescue Mission or other groups feed the hungry.

Food Bank of the Rocky Mountains: Feed the largest area in the United States by volunteering or donating. The bank sources and distributes food to more than 800 partners in Colorado-Wyoming. As the largest hunger relief organization in the region, donations continue through partnerships. Information: 303-371-9250.

Jewish Family Services: The Dorinda Levy Thanksgiving Fund provides food boxes for families of three or more people. Families with one or two members will receive a gift card instead of a turkey. Turkeys will be distributed to families on November 21st from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Information: 303-597-5000.

Project Angel Heart: 400 volunteers are needed to organize the largest Thanksgiving delivery ever on Wednesday, November 27th. Volunteers are also needed on November 25th to chop vegetables and prepare and pack meals. Also, please donate to a special Thanksgiving meal. Information: 303-830-0202.

Samaritan house: Catholic Charities Shelter hopes to have 15,000 turkeys donated this Thanksgiving. An additional 3,000 Thanksgiving Banquet-in-a-Box meals will be distributed. The church supplies turkeys to an additional 140 churches, schools and nonprofit organizations. A special Turkey Drive event will be held Red Rocks Church on November 23rd, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Information: 303-294-0241.