Tag Archives: history

Different Thanksgiving Traditions Around the U.S.

1. The Turkey Trot

It’s possible that most of us will be in a food coma after Thanksgiving dinner. Yet, there will be a few ambitious people out there who will want to enjoy a good run before the evening festivities even begin. Lucky for you the Turkey Trot is held nationwide. You have two options to either run the 5K, or if you’re feeling extra sporty you can choose to run the 10K. If you live in the Twin Cities and you’d like to burn those extra calories for the night’s upcoming feasts, then sign up here for Minneapolis or here for St. Paul!

2. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 

Now in its 88th year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become one of the most televised and most anticipated events of the holiday season. Held in New York City and attended by more than 3 million people, it is certainly one of the most popular events of the year. Worry not reader, if you can’t make it and join the other 3.5 million people in the Big Apple, there will be over 50 million tuning in to watch the parade on TV alone!

3. Plimoth Plantation (Plymouth, Massachusetts)

Serving as fun way to learn about history, the Plimoth Plantation offers various options from workshops for kids and adults alike to showcase what the 17th century celebrations might have resembled. We think a nice trip down memory lane would be an exciting new Thanksgiving tradition!

4. 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade

Parades are huge during Thanksgiving, both literally and figuratively! The 6abc- Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade is the oldest parade in the U.S., and has been widely known to have Disney stars performing in it. Can’t wait to see who’s performing this year!

5. Jamestown Settlement, Virginia 

If you’re all about history, you’ll love this place! The Jamestown Settlement has historical reenactments and shows, but also takes time to highlight the importance of the military’s involvement through U.S. history. Not to mention they have exact replicas of the settler’s ships – pretty cool!

6. Volunteering

This is of course a nationwide occurrence. Many philanthropists and do-gooders around the nation celebrate Turkey Day by either donating or volunteering to charities and special causes. If you’re one of them, then we have one more thing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!

7. Blessing of The Hounds  (Aiken, South Carolina)

Aiken’s century long tradition is filled with history – the annual event dates back to almost the 8th century! This tradition gathers hundreds of foxhounds and huntsmen that are all blessed under one priest. It’s definitely different than any tradition we’re familiar with – let us know what you think!

8. Wine County Thanksgiving  (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

Are you all about that wine? Then you should definitely take a trip to Oregon! This vineyard opens its doors to families and friends, all gathered to celebrate the completion of another harvest!

9. Uptown Holiday Lighting  (Houston, Texas)

Are you a fan of pretty, twinkling lights? Then this is the place for you! This ceremony combines all the Christmas and Thanksgiving sprit in one big event. Fireworks, live music, and an exclusive Santa appearance makes this a great new potential Thanksgiving tradition!

10. The Hollywood Christmas Parade 

Want to be starstruck? Then you have to come to this event! This parade takes place the Sunday after Thanksgiving. So after all your Black Friday shopping is done, take a stroll down Hollywood Boulevard in your new outfit and you might get to see some of your favorite singers!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? We’d be thankful if you share them with us in the comments! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Oktoberfest! The Ultimate Fall Activity!

Beer lovers rejoice as 2014 marks the 181st year of Oktoberfest! This 16 day festival is the world’s largest fair and attracts over 6 million people from around the world. The locals call it “Wies’n” or the nickname for Theresienwiese, the fairgrounds where the festival is held. While this festival has been taking place annually since 1810, here at RNR we began to wonder…why is Oktoberfest celebrated in September?

History

Believe it or not, Oktoberfest isn’t completely misnamed because the original Oktoberfest was actually held in October (Oct. 12, 1810, to be exact). In 1810 the residents of Munich were invited to celebrate the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig—the future King Ludwig I—and Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen. It featured a parade, dancing, horse races and of course lots of beer drinking. Needless to say, it was such a good time that the tradition stuck, and as time passed the length of the festival increased from one day to two weeks. Additionally, a decision was made to celebrate the festival earlier in order to avoid a snowy Oktoberfest. Thus, morphing it into the festival we know today.

The Modern Festival

While many may forget or not even know about the origin of Oktoberfest, today it is all about the beer and the food. This year, the festival kicks off on September 20th when the Mayor of Munich taps the first keg. After that, a steady stream of beer keeps flowing as nearly 7 million liters of beer are served- which is almost enough to fill three Olympic sized swimming pools! Yet steins usually run around 9-10 euros apiece, so drinking is not cheap. However, at the festival not any run of the mill brew can be served. The beer must meet Oktoberfest criteria (i.e. it must be brewed within the Munich city limits, have a minimum of 6%alcohol by volume and be fermented for a minimum of 30 days). Paulaner, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr, Augustiner, Hofbräu and Löwenbräu are among the approved breweries that visitors can expect on site.

In addition to enjoying liters of golden lager, visitors can also enjoy traditional German fare such as Würstl (sausages) Brezen (pretzel) and Knödel (potato or bread dumplings). But wait! There is more to this festival than brats and brews! For example, the Riflemen’s parade features horses, cows, goats as well as people dressed in traditional Bavarian costumes is a highlight of the event. Plus there are concerts, dancing, games and a host of other family friendly activities.

Luckily for those of us who can’t make it to Munich to celebrate, smaller Oktoberfests happen all around the world. And don’t worry, if you are of German heritage or not, its okay to let loose. If you are looking for more fun, try this quiz on 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Oktoberfest.  In the meantime, Prost! or for you non-German speakers “Bottoms up!”