As the weather cools, there’s anticipation in the air as the people of Ocean Township get ready for Thanksgiving. It’s the first festive event on the holiday calendar that encourages families to gather around the table, but there are plenty of great local events happening close to home, too. Celebrate Thanksgiving with your community at these holiday events in and around Ocean Township.
Dish! The Monday Night Cookbook Club
Get some inspiration for your Thanksgiving feast at the November meeting of Dish! The Monday Night Cookbook Club. A book club for adults 18+, members choose, prepare, and share a dish from a chosen cookbook each month. In November, it’s Thanksgiving 101 by Rick Rodgers, featuring classic American fare and regional holiday dishes from across the country. New members are always welcome. If you want to join in, register online and collect the cookbook ahead of time from Nutley Public Library’s circulation desk. Once you’ve found a recipe you want to make, email your selection to Michelle at albert@nutley.bccls.org.
Location: Nutley Public Library, 93 Booth Drive, Nutley.
Hours: 7 p.m. on Nov. 7.
Cost: Free.
Colonial Thanksgiving Dinner Demonstration & Table Customs
Learn more about the Thanksgiving traditions of your ancestors at Miller-Cory House Museum’s event in Westfield, 20 minutes southwest of Ocean Township. The museum’s cooks will demonstrate how the pilgrims prepared colonial recipes over open-heart fires. The museum’s guides will also tell attendees about early American manners, including traditional place settings and other fascinating traditions. A tour of the fully furnished Colonial-era farmhouse caps off the event. Note that this is a demonstration-only event, without any food included.
Location: Miller-Cory House Museum, 614 Mountain Ave., Westfield.
Hours: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 20.
Cost: $5 admission 13+, $3 children 3 to 12 years, and younger children are free.
Thanksgiving with the Keans
Get a jump-start on your Thanksgiving feasting with a traditional holiday feast at Kean University’s Liberty Hall Museum. Held the weekend before Thanksgiving in Union, 11 minutes south of Ocean Township, this event features traditional dishes prepared from Kean family recipe books and other historic tomes from Liberty Hall Museum. It’s a strictly 21+ event, so book your babysitter. You can reserve your table online or by calling 908-527-0400.
Location: Liberty Hall Museum, Kean University, 1003 Morris Ave., Union.
Hours: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 17.
Cost: $52.75, includes booking fee.
Read Feed Run Turkey Trot
Start your Thanksgiving with some pep in your step at the annual Read Feed Run Turkey Trot in Morristown, 21 minutes west of Ocean Township. Now in its 16th year, this turkey trot has events for all ages and fitness levels. Push yourself to the limit in the 5K run or enjoy the more leisurely pace of the 1-mile fun walk and run. There’s also a kids’ trot for children 12 and under. An awards ceremony after the races celebrates the event’s best performers.
All money raised benefits Literacy Volunteers of Morris County, committed to helping residents read, and helping the Interfaith Food Pantry Network distribute food to locals in need.
Location: Ginty Field, 50 Woodland Ave., Morristown.
Hours: Pick up packets and on-site registration from 7 a.m. and for events from 8:45 a.m. Nov. 24.
Cost: $35 for 5K, $30 for 1-mile Fun Run, and $10 for Kids Trot, including event T-shirts, while supplies last.
The Racefaster Thanksgiving Day Run
The Racefaster Thanksgiving Day Run is another great turkey trot in the local area. Held annually at Glen Rock, 25 minutes north of Ocean Township, the event winds through the streets of this charming Bergen County borough. Bring the kids along to join the Kids Fun Run. Register for the event before 6 p.m. on November 23 to join in the fun.
Location: 460 Doremus Ave., Glen Rock.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the 5K, and 9:45 a.m. to 10 a.m. Kids Fun Run Nov. 24.
Cost: $38.33 for 5K, and $22.46 for kids’ fun run, includes sign-up fees.
Thanksgiving Buffet at The Bernards Inn
Take the day off the cooking and let the team at The Bernards Inn pamper you and your family instead. This buffet is an annual tradition in Bernardsville, 29 minutes from Ocean Township. The two-hour seatings provide plenty of time to stuff yourself with the inn’s lavish spread of festive gourmet fare. There’ll be turkey, of course, along with short ribs braised in red wine, seared sole, roasted Faroe Island salmon, and so much more. The event will likely sell out, so diners should book ahead by calling 908-766-0002.
Location: 27 Minebrook Road, Bernardsville.
Hours: Two-hour sittings throughout the day, Nov. 24.
Cost: $90 for adults, $50 for children 2 to 12 years, and younger children eat free.
Thanksgiving at Blue Morel
Blue Morel in Morristown is another local restaurant hosting a generous Thanksgiving buffet. This restaurant and wine bar promises to serve up classic holiday dishes alongside some contemporary options. With roasted turkey with all the trimmings, suckling pig, salads, a raw bar, and a dessert bar, expect to adjust your belt a few notches by the time you’re done. Call the restaurant at 973-451-2619 to reserve your table.
Location: 2 Whippany Road, Morristown.
Hours: Midday to 8 p.m. Nov. 24.
Cost: $89 for adults, $29 for children under 12, plus tax and gratuity.
Thanksgiving Day Cruise
For a Thanksgiving meal that you won’t quickly forget, consider joining Cornucopia Cruise Line’s Thanksgiving Day cruise. Departing from Perth Amboy, 28 minutes south of Ocean Township, the event promises three hours of family fun, including a traditional Thanksgiving feast. Enjoy the food, drinks, and water views, knowing that the washing up is someone else’s problem.
Location: Depart 401 Riverview Drive, Perth Amboy.
Hours: Boarding 11:30 a.m. for midday to 3 p.m. cruise.
Cost: $79.95 for 13+, $59.96 for children 3 to 12 years, younger children are free.
You now know some of the Thanksgiving events the team at Sea View Auto Corp wouldn’t want you to miss. Have we left out any great local events celebrating Turkey Day? We’d love to hear from you. Swing by our Ocean Township dealership or drop us a line to tell us all about them.
Give Thanks by Priscilla Du Preez is licensed with Unsplash License
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