Accidental text leads to friendship and Thanksgiving
Jamal Hinton and Wanda Dench make a pie for their seventh Thanksgiving together in Mesa in 2022 after an accidental text brought them together in 2016.
Around 1.12 million Arizonans will travel for their Thanksgiving according to AAA, but there will still be festivities across the state for those who choose to stay home for the holiday.
Arizona cities like Phoenix and Fountain Hills will offer holiday-themed events, while organizations like St. Mary’s will team up with the World Series traveled DBacks to help relieve the strain many households feel during the holidays.
Here’s a guide on everything happening in the state from what stores are open for last-minute shopping, to where to find the best deals.
Turkey trots are a familiar way that people counter the comfortable idea of enjoying Thanksgiving dinner on the couch and encourage families to get active and enjoy the outdoors.
Phoenix will host six different length walks, runs and trots starting at 7:30 a.m. in central Phoenix.
Valley cities Gilbert, Mesa, and Peoria will also have individual turkey trots that will feature different length runs and walks that encourage people to dress up and celebrate Thanksgiving.
If you’re looking to get out of the city and enjoy some of the state’s beautiful scenery, a full moon hike on Saturday will be the feature at Lost Dutchman State Park in northeast Apache Junction.
Hikers can start their journey at 5:30 p.m. to get a full viewing of the full moon entering the desert sky.
Arizona State Park Rangers will host a guided tour of the area, but registration is required ahead of time. The tour starts at 5:30 on Saturday at the park and costs $10.
If you miss the many turkey trots on Thanksgiving, Tempe will hold their own “Fat Turkey Trail Run,” which will feature a 5K and 10K race.
— Abigail Celaya and Kye Graves
