Forget Detroit. Celebrate American Thanksgiving in Cottam!
Windsor Morning's Jonathan Pinto learns about the annual American Thanksgiving dinner at Cottam United Church
It's the fourth Thursday in November. Across the river, millions of people in Metro Detroit are celebrating American Thanksgiving.
But there's no need to cross the border to join in the festivities — all you have to do is head to Cottam. This tiny community, now a part of Kingsville, Ont., has a long association with American Thanksgiving..
It's all because of the Cottam United Church. Starting at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, the congregation hosts its annual turkey dinner, which started in 1945. This year, they're expecting 1,200 hungry guests to enjoy a traditional feast of turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, squash, peas, coleslaw, cranberries and homemade pie.
To learn more about the history and effort behind this Essex County tradition, I met up with Rosemary Roadhouse. She's been the main organizer of the dinner for over 20 years. Click on the audio player to hear our conversation.
Ready to celebrate American Thanksgiving in Canada?
Cottam United Church is at 137 County Rd 34 in Cottam. Food will be served starting at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. Tickets sales usually stop around 6 p.m.
It's best to get there as early as possible, especially if you want a good choice of pie. Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for children, and free for five and under — and it's cash only.
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