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π¦ Last-Minute Thanksgiving? Your Triangle Full Guide Is Here!
Published 2 months agoΒ β’Β 7 min read
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Happy Thanksgiving, Triangle!
Iβm sending this weekβs newsletter a little early so you have plenty of time to plan, whether that means booking a table, picking up a pre-order feast, or just grabbing pies that wonβt survive the car ride home.
If cooking isnβt happening this year, I pulled together a real localsβ list of where to eat or order your Thanksgiving dinner so you donβt have to guess whatβs still open or worth trying.
Also, if the plan is getting out of the house, Iβve got a full guide to the best holiday happenings this week: turkey trots, tree lightings, markets, comedy shows, musicals, and a few cozy traditions that are easy wins.
And because it wouldnβt be Thanksgiving in North Carolina without a story that makes you smile, wait until you meet Raleighβs newest celebrities: Gobble and Waddle, the official 2025 National Thanksgiving Turkeys.
Letβs dive in! β¬οΈ
βBrette Davis
Where to Eat or Order Your Thanksgiving Dinner
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No apron, no problem. If cooking isnβt in the plan this year, youβre covered. I pulled together a full list of Triangle restaurants offering dine-in Thanksgiving menus or pre-order meals you can take home. Just scroll down and pick your favorite.
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Rooftop Bites
10th and Terraceβ Holiday bites and cocktails all week β’ Thanksgiving Day included π 10thandterrace.comβ
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Heat-and-Serve Feasts
Bob Evansβ Open breakfast, lunch and dinner β’ Heat-and-serve for 4, 8 or 10 β’ Check in-store for availability π bobevans.comβ
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Sam Jones BBQβ Heat-and-serve for 8β10 β’ Limited availability may remain π samjonesbbq.comβ
City Barbequeβ Fresh holiday meals for 6β24 β’ Pickup through Nov 30 β’ Orders must be placed 24 hours in advance π citybbq.comβ
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Figulinaβ Thanksgiving Bundle β’ Γ la carte menu for 6β8 π figulinaraleigh.comβ
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Fine Dining & Special Menus
The Capital Grilleβ Thanksgiving dinner β’ Reheat-and-serve meal for 4 β’ Reservation window may be tight π thecapitalgrille.comβ
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Perryβs Steakhouse & Grilleβ Dine-in or family-style meals β’ up to 4 π perryssteakhouse.comβ
Sullivanβs Steakhouseβ Holiday roasted dinner β’ Take-and-warm packages for 5 or 10 π sullivanssteakhouse.comβ
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Flemingβs Steakhouseβ Two-course Thanksgiving menu β’ Bundles for 6 π flemingssteakhouse.comβ
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(π€« Need something fast? Just reply "LAST-MINUTE" and Iβll help you find whatβs still open)
The Willard (AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown)β Thanksgiving buffet β’ 2β7 p.m. β’ Football streamed in the ballroom π thewillardraleigh.comβ
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If you end up grabbing one of these meals, reply and tell me how it went. I love sharing real experiences from our readers! π«Άπ»
Featured Listings
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Go-To Guide for Holiday Happenings
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Not sure where to start with your Thanksgiving week plans? I pulled together the Triangleβs best events and things to do so you can skip the scrolling, enjoy your days out, and jump straight into holiday mode!
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Thanksgiving Runs
Turkey Leg Dayβ Cary kicks things off with a full park-wide workout. Think leg-burners, quick cardio breaks, and a fun vibe that feels more like a group challenge than a class. Nov 26 β’ Downtown Cary Park π Website
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Trophy Trot 5Kβ The classic Thanksgiving morning run. A scenic route through Dorothea Dix Park and a relaxed after-party at Trophy Brewing. Nov 27 β’ Dorothea Dix Park π Website
TROSA Turkey Trot 5Kβ A feel-good race that starts and ends on the TROSA campus. Chip-timed, long-sleeve tee, medal, and refreshments included. Nov 27 β’ TROSA Campus π Website
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Gobblerβs Run 5Kβ Wake Forestβs tradition. Friendly, approachable, and a first race for a lot of locals. Nov 27 β’ Wake Forest π Website
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Tree Lightings and Seasonal Nights
Merry and Bright: An Enchanted Holiday Eveningβ One of the prettiest nights at Pullen Park. Lakeside strolls, live music, rides, postcard-making, and a North Pole visit. Proceeds benefit Play It Forward. Nov 29 β’ Pullen Park π Website
Light Up Mainβ Downtown Garner brings the small-town holiday energy. Shopping, music, neighbors everywhere, and the tree lighting with Mayor Buddy Gupton and Santa. Nov 29 β’ Main Street, Garner π Website
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Live Music and Performances
Mike Melloβ A stand-up veteran with nearly twenty years of stage time. Nov 26 β’ Goodnights Comedy Club π Website
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Elf The Musicalβ The Buddy story you know and love, but bigger and brighter on stage at DPAC. Nov 26β30 β’ DPAC π Website
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Joe Gattoβ Impractical Jokers fans know. He mixes storytelling with crowd energy, and it always lands. Nov 28 β’ Goodnights Comedy Club π Website
The Embers Christmasβ Beach music royalty doing holiday favorites, led by Craig Woolard. Nov 26 β’ Fuquay-Varina Arts Center π Website
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Cirque Holiday Popsβ Acrobats and contortionists performing alongside the North Carolina Symphony. Nov 26, 28, 29 β’ Raleigh π Website
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If youβre thinking about moving in 2026 or just want to see what holiday life looks like in different communities, reply and tell me where. Iβve got you.
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Markets, Shopping, and More
Handcrafted DURM Holiday Marketβ A relaxed brewery setting with local makers, treats, and a costume contest. Nov 29 β’ Durham π Website
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Jingle Jammies PJ Partyβ Boxcar goes full pajama day. Cereal-inspired cocktails, cartoons, and a holiday movie loop. Nov 29 β’ Downtown Raleigh π Website
Durham Craft Shop Small Marketβ Fifty-plus local artisans, all small businesses and artist-run. Easy place to buy unique gifts without guessing. Nov 29 β’ Durham Central Park π Website
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Repticonβ For reptile lovers and the reptile curious. Vendors, breeders, and educators all under one roof. Nov 29β30 β’ Raleigh π Website
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On-Going Holiday Experiences
North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festivalβ Handcrafted lanterns, live performances, and walk-through displays that never get old. This is one of Triangle's staples you must revisit every year. Nov 15βJan 11 β’ Booth Amphitheatre, Cary π Website
FestiBull of Lightsβ Durham Bulls Athletic Park turns into a glowing winter playground. Itβs an easy pick for families or anyone who just wants to wander and take it all in. Nov 20βJan 3 β’ Durham Bulls Athletic Park π Website
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And of course, if you end up checking out any of these, let me know how it went. Iβm always curious what spots become your new traditions π
π₯ Where I Would Live If I Were Moving To Raleigh, NC TODAY
Turkey season hits different this year because NC State just landed a pretty iconic honor. Gobble and Waddle (yes, those are their real names) are officially the 2025 National Thanksgiving Turkeys.
Picture this: two very handsome toms getting a White House visit, a presidential pardon, and then moving into their climate-controlled Raleigh retirement suite. You name it π
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Hereβs where it gets interesting:
These birds were raised right here in Wayne County, which is one of the biggest poultry-producing regions in the state. Poultry here is one of those things you donβt fully understand until you live in North Carolina. Itβs everywhere. It fuels about $40 billion in our economy. Thatβs huge!
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So why NC State?
NC State Universityβs College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) has some of the top poultry experts in the country, and itβs one of only six poultry science departments nationwide. Theyβve actually hosted these presidential turkeys before, back in 2022, so this isnβt their first rodeo. But it gets better, because these birds help shine a spotlight on the science, jobs, and research that power one of North Carolinaβs biggest industries.
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And wait until you hear the numbers...
North Carolina is No. 1 in the nation for turkey production by weight. No. 2 by headcount at around 27 million birds. Over 5,000 farms. Nearly 150,000 jobs connected to poultry. Almost 10 percent of the nationβs total poultry output. (N.C. Poultry Federation)
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And these two?
Theyβre not just here to hang out. Gobble and Waddle will be out and about as educational ambassadors at events like Farm Animal Days, Ag Awareness Week, and even the State Fair. I canβt wait for you guys to see how kids react. These turkeys are basically local influencers now!
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Hereβs the thing.
This whole tradition is fun and a little quirky, but it also shines a light on an industry that keeps North Carolina running. From research to jobs to the farms that raised these birds in the first place, itβs a reminder of just how much agriculture shapes life here. And honestly, stories like this are exactly what make the Triangle feel so uniquely North Carolina: equal parts serious, surprising, and just downright charming.
Iβm a Raleigh-based agent whoβs passionate about real estate, local life, and making homeownership feel easy (and fun!). Subscribe and join 2,000+ readers who get the inside scoop every week!
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