Your Guide to Thanksgiving in Canada: Meaning, Events, and More

Canadian Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in October, centered around gratefulness and closely related to traditional harvest festivals, which have taken place around the world for centuries.

Canada’s version of Thanksgiving has a rich history, unique traditions of its own, and modern celebrations that take place every year. Let’s explore the past and present of Canadian Thanksgiving, how you can celebrate, and 2025 events you can explore.

When is Thanksgiving in Canada 2025?

This year, Canadian Thanksgiving falls on Monday, October 13th, 2025. Thanksgiving in Canada is a statutory holiday in most provinces, observed annually on the second Monday of October.

The History of Canadian Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has roots in both European and Indigenous celebrations of harvest. For thousands of years, Indigenous tribes & communities have celebrated successful harvest and the survival of winter with prayer, dance, and feasting. Similar traditions can be observed across Europe, where celebrations typically take place in September or October whenever local produce is actually harvested.

This background explains modern-day Thanksgiving’s common themes of giving thanks and celebrating abundance, and the use of decorations like cornucopias and other crops.

The Thanksgiving we know today wasn’t celebrated until 1578, when English explorer Martin Frobisher and his crew safely arrived in Frobisher Bay (now known as Nunavut). This is now commonly recognized as the first Canadian Thanksgiving, although it wasn’t declared a national holiday until 1879.

Martin Frobisher (source: Library and Archives Canada)

Frobisher Bay (source: Canadian Encyclopedia)

Why is Thanksgiving Different in Canada vs. the U.S.?

Although the name and general meaning of Thanksgiving is similar in Canada and the United States, the history, dates, and its origins differ. 

The first recognized Thanksgiving in Canada took place in 1578. The first US Thanksgiving was 43 years later in 1621, marked by the harvest in Plymouth and a 3-day shared feast between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people.

The official observed date for Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday in October, while U.S. Thanksgiving is on the fourth Thursday in November. This year, US Thanksgiving takes place Thursday, November 27th, 2025 while Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on October 13th.

How do Canadians Celebrate Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving celebrations in Canada typically focus on meals with family and friends, outdoor activities, and sometimes local fairs or parades. There is an emphasis on food, enjoying the fall weather, and being with family and friends during this holiday.

Across Canada, you’ll find people celebrating the long weekend with:

• Family dinners, often featuring dishes like turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.

• Fun runs, short themed races which are often called “Turkey Trots” when they take place on Thanksgiving Weekend.

• Visiting pumpkin patches, apple orchards, and other fall-themed activities.

• Going on hikes to enjoy the fall weather. In many parts of Canada, Thanksgiving takes place during prime “leaf-peeping” season, which makes for beautiful views.

• Attending or watching sporting events, such as the Canadian Football League’s Thanksgiving Day Classic.

Thanksgiving Celebrations and Events in Canada 2025

If you’re looking for other ways to celebrate the long weekend or have fun with family and friends, there are a few Thanksgiving or fall-themed activities taking place this year.

Thanksgiving Events in Toronto 2025

• Toronto PumpkinFest: 

• Taking place October 10th-October 13th, 2025

• A family-friendly fall festival with a large pumpkin patch, entertainment, local food, and rides.

• Toronto TurkeyTrot

• Taking place Monday, October 13th, 2025 at 10am

• A 5-kilometre, family-friendly run that uses proceeds to donate meals to local charities.

Thanksgiving Events in Nova Scotia 2025

• Valley Harvest Marathon

• Taking place on Saturday, October 11th, 2025

• A picturesque marathon taking place in the heart of Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley (approximately a 1-hour drive from Halifax). The race also offers a youth run, and shorter distances like 5 and 10-km.

• Celtic Colours International Festival

• October 10th to October 18th, 2025

• An annual festival celebrating “Cape Breton Island’s living traditional culture,” and featuring hundreds of events and activities across the weekend.

Thanksgiving Events in Montreal 2025

• Gardens of Light

• August 31st to October 31st, 2025

• Explore Montreal’s Botanical Gardens in a new light, with beautiful illumination across the Chinese Garden, the Garden of the First Nations, and the Japanese Garden.

Thanksgiving Events in Vancouver 2025

• Fort Langley Cranberry Festival

• Saturday, October 11th, 2025

• The 30th annual edition of Langley’s family-friendly festival with vendors, food, and entertainment.