Thanksgiving is a day to gather with family and friends and give thanks to all that we hold dear. We’ve gathered some Turkey Day ideas on things to do in Bend.

Football fans and turkey aficionados alike take note, we’ve got a variety of activities, entertainment and side dish ideas to satisfy the cravings of the whole crew.

I Like Pie

First, dessert! Footzone’s iconic I Like Pie run returns to the Old Mill District this year starting in Center Plaza on Thanksgiving day. One of the year’s most anticipated events raises money for NeighborImpact and the Boys and Girls Club and participants earn some well-deserved (Covid-safe, single serving) pre-Thanksgiving Pie! The 1.5- or 3-mile course follows the flat, paved pathways and trails through the Old Mill District along the beautiful Deschutes River. The course is stroller friendly, so bring the whole family out.

Popcorn and Movie Marathon

House of Gucci: Envelope yourself in the sensational story of the high profile Gucci family in this film starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver – Rated R

Disney’s Encanto: An original tale of magic and family featuring Stephanie Beatriz and Lin-Manuel Miranda with a promising musical score – Rate PG

The Talk of the Table 

Turkey may be the main event, but these appetizer and side dish recipes from our friends at Savory Spice will surely give your guests something to talk about.

Grand Dill Dip
Dips are the easiest way to turn a gathering into a party! This is a crowd fave that pairs well with bread, veggies or potato chips.

Ingredients
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cups mayonnaise
1 cups sour cream
2 Tbsp. Dill Dip

1 Tbsp. Minced Green Onion
2 tsp. Minced Garlic

Combine all ingredients and stir until smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms:
A simple autumn dish that that makes a delectable Thanksgiving appetizer.

Ingredients
24 cremini mushrooms, cleaned
¼ cups unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cups bread crumbs
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. Parsley
1 Tbsp. Poultry Seasoning
1 tsp. Kosher Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove stems from mushroom caps. Finely chop stems and set aside. In a medium pan, melt butter over medium heat. Use up to half of this butter to brush tops of mushroom caps before placing them top-side-down in a shallow baking pan. Return pan with butter to heat and add onion, garlic, and chopped mushroom stems. Saute for 3 to 4 min., or until tender and fragrant. Remove pan from heat and stir in cream cheese. Add Parmesan cheese, Parsley, Poultry Seasoning, and bread crumbs. Scoop 1 to 2 Tbsp. of stuffing mixture onto each mushroom cap. Bake for 10 to 12 min., or until heated through and tops are just beginning to brown.

Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie
The recipe title says it all. You can’t have Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie and this crust is so easy that you may never use store-bought again. Top each slice with freshly whipped cream for the full experience.

Ingredients
For crust:
1.25 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. Kosher Salt
½ cups unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
3 to 4 Tbsp. ice water
For filling:
1 (15 oz.) can pureed pumpkin
2 eggs
½ cups brown sugar, packed
¼ cups granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

½ tsp. Kosher Salt
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 tsp. Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract

Directions
For crust: Whisk flour and Kosher Salt in a large bowl. With your fingers or a pastry cutter, incorporate a few pieces of butter at a time into flour mixture until coarse and crumbly. Add ice water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, and mix with a spatula until dough comes together; you may not need all of the water. Dough should not be too crumbly or sticky. Pat dough into a disc shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours.
For filling: In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, Pumpkin Pie Spice, and Kosher Salt. Beat until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add evaporated milk and Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract. Beat until filling is completely smooth, about 2 min. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out chilled pie dough on a floured surface and fit into a greased 9-inch pie plate. Pour filling into prepared crust and bake for 15 min. Lower oven temperature to 350. Bake for another 45 min. to 1 hour, rotating pie halfway through. Pie is done when a knife inserted in the center of the filling comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to refrigerator to chill.

We hope you enjoy it all this Thanksgiving – the food, the friends, the family and the laughter – we’re grateful to be a part of your community!