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Plymouth Thanksgiving

Plymouth gears up to host American Thanksgiving celebrations in November 2007 - 387 years after bidding farewell to the Pilgrim Fathers on board the Mayflower.

The City of Plymouth extends a warm welcome to all Americans , and invites them to spend Thanksgiving here in Plymouth, Devon. It was, after all, in Plymouth that the Pilgrim Fathers spent their last few days on English soil before setting sail for what must have been an extremely daunting voyage across the Atlantic. They will have known also that their voyage would be just the beginning of the challenges that they would face in founding their settlement in "Plimoth Plantation" (Plymouth, Massachusetts). Their first celebration of Thanksgiving a year later would, therefore, have been a hugely meaningful act of gratitude both for their survival, and also for the hope and aspirations with which they could now face the future. One wonders what they would make of our two nations now; no doubt our modern societies would leave them probably amused, impressed, perplexed and confused in equal measure, but there is no doubt that they would be delighted and proud of the special relationship that has grown between our nations over the last 387 years. In any event, Plymouth could hardly be a more familiar and welcoming place for Americans to visit for Thanksgiving, or at any other time for that matter. Its wealth of heritage links are an integral part, not only of the Mayflower story but also of a full four centuries of North American History.

So, all Americans now have a standing invitation to spend their Thanksgiving holidays in and around Plymouth. Thanksgiving in Plymouth is organised by the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and the 2007 event will be celebrated with an exciting programme. Variety is the key this year and visitors will be able to enjoy entertainment ranging from a Motown concert featuring the Four Tops and Temptations, to performances by the world famous Glyndeborne Opera. There will be a choral performance in St Andrews, the mother church of Plymouth, a selection of sporting events and the opportunity to explore Plymouth and Devon's rich heritage. Thanksgiving Day itself - Thursday the 22nd - will witness the raising of the "Stars and Stripes" on Plymouth Hoe in front of the Lord Mayor and senior US Guests with a parade by a United States Navy Honour Guard and the band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines. This will be followed by a traditional Thanksgiving Lunch, and on Friday 23rd there will be a formal Thanksgiving dinner dance. More information on www.thanksgivingplymouth.co.uk.