Boise Has Two Of America’s Most Beloved Thanksgiving Events

Thanksgiving has become a family bonding extravaganza celebrating gratitude and reflection. Traditionally, turkey dinner has been the star of the holiday. Still, the shenanigans we get into with our loved ones create memories we laugh about for years.

Across the country, there are other ways that people celebrate Thanksgiving. Each family has a unique way of getting together and spending time. Each region of the country has its own unique way of celebrating. Those unique ways are brought about by events that are put on in those places. For example, in Dallas and Detroit, NFL Football has become a significant part of the day. In New York and Hollywood, parades take center stage. But which of the nation's thousands of events are the best? Believe it or not, among the famous and not-so-famous events that make a new ranking of the top 80, two events in the Treasure Valley made the list. The survey, conducted by Mixbook, polled 3,000 people across the country, and their answers were quite friendly to two of our favorite local traditions.

Topping their list is Philadelphia's 6acb Dunkin' Parade, which has been happening there since 1920 when it was the Gimbel's Thanksgiving Day Parade, named for the department store that put it on. Four years later, a department store in New York City copied the idea, and that's how we got the Macy's Day Parade.
Four of the top 80 Thanksgiving events that made the list are parades. A total of 19 parades made the list, while four football games also made the list. 35 races made the list. Two events made the list from Idaho, both of them from Boise. They are the Boise Festival of Trees, which came in at number 20, and the Boise Turkey Day 5K, which ranked fiftieth.

The Festival of Trees, put on by St. Alphonsus Hospital, is in its 39th year and runs from the 22nd to the 26th.  Proceeds from the event benefit the Cancer Institute.  The Turkey Day 5K happened simultaneously in Boise and Caldwell on Thanksgiving morning, benefiting both the Boise Rescue Mission and Special Olympics.