This Thanksgiving, we have more than ever to be thankful for. Celebrate the season with programs to lift your spirits. You'll hear beautiful music, learn more about the science and history of the holiday, and get the cooking help you need with Turkey Confidential!
The full Thanksgiving holiday special lineup is as follows:
11/25 Wednesday
10am – A Feast for the Ears
As families come together and give thanks, A Feast for the Ears helps set the atmosphere and provide deeper meaning to the Thanksgiving holiday. Host Mark Perzel reflects on the rich history and traditions of this well-loved American holiday and highlights music by American composers such as Aaron Copeland, Virgil Thomson, William Billings and Charles Ives, along with some undiscovered treasures by Rick Sowash and Mark O’Connor. Perzel presents a melodic and intriguing exploration of Thanksgiving history, lore and roots in early European harvest festivals, as well as a thoughtful examination of the holiday's evolution and contemporary traditions.
11/25 Wednesday
3pm – Science and Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving usually means we’re going big — way over the top. Twice the size bird we could possibly eat. More side dishes than the table can hold, and of course, so much pie. We travel great distances to see our families and friends — we hug, we eat, we argue, and we nap. On this special episode of The Pulse, we explore the traditions and rituals of Thanksgiving through a scientific lens. We hear stories about the neuroscience of gratitude — and how it can help us through grief; the environmental impact of our holiday feasts, from cranberries to food waste; and ask whether turkeys are really as dumb as they look
11/26 Thursday
10am – The Splendid Table Turkey Confidential
Thanksgiving is full of high expectations, a huge menu and a house full of guests – which can make for a stressful day or two in the kitchen. That’s why holiday cooks, hosts and eaters tune into The Splendid Table’s “Turkey Confidential” on Thanksgiving morning. A holiday tradition in kitchens (and cars) from coast to coast, the show gives cooks an open line to host Francis Lam – providing turkey triage for public radio listeners on the day they need it most – Thanksgiving. Submit your questions at contact@splendidtable.org or call 1-800-537-5252
11/26 Thursday
12p Giving Thanks: A Celebration of Fall, Food and Gratitude
Giving Thanks brings music and stories together for thoughtful reflection on the meaning of the holiday.
Whether you're up early in the kitchen, on the road to a family gathering, or relaxing after the feast, Giving Thanks provides the perfect atmosphere for Thanksgiving: the warmth of great music, and truly memorable words.
11/26 Thursday
3pm – Giving Thanks – or Miigwetch
In this special holiday episode of With Good Reason, we're taking a look at the indigenous side of a Thanksgiving table. Minnesota Chef Sean Sherman (the Sioux Chef) gives us a taste of pre-contact American Indian cuisine. We'll also take a look at the complicated history of the most well-known reservation food, fry-bread. And talk with American Indian scholars Anton Treuer and Karenne Wood about their food traditions.
11/27 Friday
10am – Wind & Rhythm: Gratitude
What are you thankful for this season? Here at Wind & Rhythm we are thankful for you! Join us as we share our gratitude with music from David Maslanka’s Eighth Symphony, right here, at the gathering place for people who love band music.
11/27 Friday
11am - Every Good Thing
This Thanksgiving, host Elena See and classical music fans from around the country take time to give thanks and celebrate one of life's most meaningful gifts: music. Audiences will hear listeners from across the U.S. share stories about their favorite classical music pieces.
11/27 Friday
3pm – Harvest Home
Festive, thoughtful and fun, HARVEST HOME is an hour of music hosted by renowned folk duo Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, celebrates Thanksgiving, Autumn and the Harvest Season with a spicy offering of American Roots Music simmered to perfection.
