Happy Thanksgiving From Roosevelt Island - Tradition, Family, Food, Football, History And Alice's Restaurant

Happy Thanksgiving Day wishes to everyone out there in Roosevelt Island land and elsewhere. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Since Thanksgiving is a day all about about Tradition, here is my traditional Thanksgiving Day post started in 2007.

In addition to family, great food, the Macy's Parade, Miracle on 34th Street, March of the Wooden Soldiers and football, listening to Arlo Guthrie's rendition of Alice's Restaurant on WNEW-FM was, for me, a wonderful Thanksgiving tradition.

A former station DJ remembers Thanksgiving and Arlo Guthrie this way on the blog All Mixed Up Radio.

Every year a couple of days before Thanksgiving, it starts. It's slow at first, and then turns into a non-stop avalanche of phone calls. And no matter how many times a station runs promo announcements telling people exactly when it will be played, the calls still come.

"What time are you playing 'Alice's Restaurant?'"...

Yes, in the olden days people used to listen to music on the radio. Imagine that!

Here's a snippet of Alice's Restaurant with Arlo Guthrie and Johnny Cash



and the full song with scenes from the movie.

Roosevelt Island Historical Society President Judy Berdy shares a Thanksgiving  story from Roosevelt Island's past when it was known as Welfare Island and housed a penitentiary. Also, former blogger Roosevelt Island 360 tells us about the first Roosevelt Island Thanksgiving in 1975.

 Image From Roosevelt Island 360

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal adds on behalf of RIOC staff;

Thanksgiving is more than an opportunity for a great turkey dinner. It's a time to get together with family and friends and share all the reasons we have to be grateful. And, we all have so many blessings to be grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your loved ones.

Happy Thanksgiving Roosevelt Islanders!!!!!!!!

Thankful @pix11 continues to run #MarchofTheWoodenSoldiers year after year on Thanksgiving just like when I was a kid.😁#LaurelandHardy #HappyThanksgiving pic.twitter.com/YcF0yhhOtP

— NamelyNorm (@NamelyNorm) November 22, 2018