Photo taken by Tracey Petersen
There are many events planned for the weekend of Thanksgiving. First, on Wednesday, November 27th, 2024 the Aronos Research Club is joining forces with Tuolumne County Arts, MotherLode MakerLabs, and the Sonora Chamber of Commerce to host a craft making workshop in conjunction with the Lighting Ceremony of Downtown Sonora. The workshop will create tree ornaments and gift tags from recycled materials and it will be free. The lighting of the trees at the Red Church launches Christmas Town events in downtown Sonora and the public is encouraged to gather in the Fire Museum Parking Lot on Washington Street before the tree is lit at 5:30 pm.
In Tuolumne today, Mother Lode Christian School and Chapel of the Pines are serving a free Thanksgiving dinner inside of Tuolumne Memorial Hall from Noon through 5 PM.
Wednesday Heart Rock Coffee Company will be providing Thanksgiving meals as detailed here.
The small works show is an annual holiday art show and fundraising auction/ sale for Tuolumne County Arts. All works in the show are donated by the artists, and all sales go towards TCA’s operational cost. Help Support our organization by viewing and bidding on these fantastic small creations made by local artist.
On Thanksgiving day from 11am to 3pm, Viney’s Italian Kitchen will be serving up a delicious, sit-down Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings – drink and dessert included. Whether you’re looking for a warm meal, or just want to celebrate the day with your community, you are welcome and can also donate the day of. More details about the event are here.
Thanksgiving day in Jamestown, the Sozo Fellowship will host a Thanksgiving dinner from 2 to 4 pm inside of the Jamestown Community Hall, located on Main Street.
Ebbetts Pass Moose Lodge is hosting its annual free Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday.
The annual Groveland Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be at the Groveland Community Resilience Center Thursday. Details are here.
VFW Post 2600 in San Andreas is hosting a Potluck Thanksgiving Dinner on Thanksgiving as detailed here.
Kick off the Thanksgiving holiday with the 3rd annual Turkey Trot with Pip the Penguin near Woods Creek Rotary Park in Sonora. The free, family-friendly event includes a timed 5k with prizes for the top 3 men and women finishers, untimed 1-mile fun run, costume contest, canned food drive and more. The event is hosted by Adventist Health Sonora’s Diabetes Resource Center in honor of Diabetes Awareness Month as detailed here.
Klassen Klassic Turkey Trot is slated for Thanksgiving morning at Murphys Community Park. Brian Klassen and his daughters, Sally and Riley, have organized and hosted the event since 2017. The entrance fee is a non-perishable food item that is donated to the Murphys Senior Center. Proceeds from tee-shirt sales go to We are Cancer Strong, a charity started by Murphys residents to support three local families dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Registration and tee-shirt sales start at 8 am. The 2.5 and 5 mile walk/run starts at 9 am as detailed here.
Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 5pm is the Sonora Christmas Artisan Fair. Complete your holiday shopping and enjoy the day with 140 artists, makers, crafters, bakers, live musicians and food vendors. The event is $6 for adults and more details are here.
In Groveland Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 4:30 pm is the Holiday Christmas Craft Fair at the Community Resilience Center. Admission is free with over 50 vendors and a photographer for family holiday photos.
Friday at 11 AM Sonora will travel to Sac City College for the Sac Joaquin Division VI Championship game. The Sonora Wildcats Football game will be live on KVML 1450AM/102.7 FM, with Nick Stuart and Zeb Drivdahl, listen online here. Summerville is in the Sac Joaquin Division VII Championship game and will play Stone Ridge Christian at Saint Mary’s High School in Stockton at 7 PM. The game will also air live on 93.5 KKBN with Mike Woicicki and Mike Rodgers and online.
Friday at 6 pm is the 41st Annual Historic Christmas Parade in Downtown Sonora, parking and more details are here.
Acquire your Christmas Tree Permit for the Calaveras Ranger District and visit with Forest Service Staff at the Spicer Sno Park to get information and help with picking out your Christmas Tree. On Saturday meet up with Forest Service Staff at the Sourgrass Day Use Area with our permit.
Saturday and Sunday at the Calaveras Fairgrounds in Angels Camp is the Spirit of Winter Festival Holiday Marketplace. There will be live holiday music, Santa’s Workshop, gift give-aways, craft and food vendors, free photo ops with your favorite characters, free kids ornament crafts, storytime skits and Juggler Show. The entry fee is $6, kids 15 and under are free and parking is free. Bring a can food Save $1 on entry. Donations for the Toys for Tots Program will also be accepted.
Saturday Columbia College Men’s Basketball team will host Lassen College at 6 pm, and Sunday they will host Folsom Lake College at 3 pm. Details about the season are in our events calendar here.
The 26th Annual Giving Tree for the Children in Need from Tuolumne County is at the Junction Shopping Center. Each participating merchant will have names that can be chosen from a Giving Tree. Bring an unwrapped gift back to any Junction Merchant before December 16th to brighten that child’s heart.
Carrying the thrills and chills into the festive season, Murphys Creek Theatre will present a spooky reimagining of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol told from the perspective of “dead-as-a-doornail” Jacob Marley. Tom Mula’s Jacob Marley’s A Christmas Carol will haunt the Black Bart Playhouse from Friday, November 29 through December 22.
Send us your kids’ letters to Santa for a chance to win a gift certificate, details are here.
The November restaurant of the month in our dining guide is The City Hotel Restaurant and What Cheer Saloon in Columbia. Check out the movie times at local theaters, and local gas prices are in our traffic section.