Thanksgiving Opera and Feast

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving is a special day at Carmel. At 10:30 AM, students of all ages come together to perform our annual Thanksgiving Opera. In the weeks leading up to the performance, the children practice, prepare, and work together to bring the production to life. The Opera lasts about 30 minutes, and when the final bows are taken, everyone gathers for our Thanksgiving Feast.

Like so many things at Carmel, the feast is a community effort. Our tables are filled with traditional Thanksgiving favorites turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and all the dishes that make the meal feel like Thanksgiving. Families sign up to contribute to the potluck, bringing food the day of the feast or the day before if it needs to be warmed. There is always plenty to do, and extra hands are welcomed for preparing food, setting up, serving, and cleaning up afterward.

The Thanksgiving Opera and Feast is one of those days when the whole Carmel community comes together. Families and friends gather to watch the children perform, alumni return to visit, everyone shares a meal, and there is time to sit, talk, and get to know one another a little better. After the feast, children are welcome to head home with their families or stay through the end of the regular school day.

It’s a little bit of performance, a lot of food, and a whole lot of Carmel community.