Table for 5000? You Bet! You’re Invited to Celebrate the Holiday with a FREE Thanksgiving Meal

Every year a FREE thanksgiving buffet is offered by Community Volunteers with assistance from staff and management from the College of St. Scholastica. Approximately 5,000 area persons in need are served a delicious turkey dinner with all the fixings, either at the DECC or by having a meal delivered to their home. Join our Community Family and let's celebrate Thanksgiving together.

This is the 24th year of the Community Buffet which serves a FREE turkey dinner with all the trimmings from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at the DECC in Duluth. It continues to grow each year. It’s open to any resident who might otherwise be alone on Thanksgiving, is unable to prepare a meal for their family or just those who want to join others in the community on this day of Thanks-giving. Everyone is invited!

There is home deliveries to home bound persons.  If you wish to request home delivery in Duluth, Superior or Two Harbors should call 723-6484 or in Carlton or Cloquet call 879-9238 BY FRI., NOV. 22.

INTERESTING FACTS

We couldn’t pull it off without the generous donations of many area organizations and individual volunteers who serve in various roles such as food preparation, serving, set-up, clean-up, drivers, recycling and more. Here are some food facts (much of it locally grown); we prepare and serve:

• 1,800 pounds of roasted turkey
•  2,000 pounds of potatoes (peeled, boiled and mashed)
•  150 gallons of gravy
•  700 pounds of locally grown squash
•  6,000 dinner rolls
•  450 pounds each of: carrots, green beans and cranberries
•  2,000 cartons of milk
•  And of course, dessert!

AND ENTERTAINMENT

There will be musical entertainment, free crafts and pictures with Santa for the kids – they’ll even have the opportunity to make their own cider. The Great Lakes Aquarium also offers free passes to diners.

SPECIAL THIS YEAR

This year’s buffet is honoring the legacy and memory of Steve O’Neil, former St. LouisCounty Commissioner and long-time supporter of the buffet and those in need in the region.

Also, this year Thanksgiving falls on the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah. It last happened in 1888 and won’t happen again for another 70,000+ years. It’s often referred to as “Menurkey” or “Thanksgivukkah”. In recognition of this, we’ll be offering a traditional Jewish menu item.

FREE TRANSPORTATION

There will be FREE DTA Bus transportation, with shuttles from the DTA downtown hub to the DECC.