Thanksgiving with a Twist: Illinois' Feast of Oddities and Wonders

As the leaves engage in their final, riotous dance hues of ember and gold flickering in the crisp Midwestern breeze we pilgrims of peculiarity set our sights on Thanksgiving. But here in Illinois, where the prairies meet the pulsating energy of Chicago and history whispers through sleepy river towns, we don't just carve turkeys and bake pumpkin pies; we revel in a feast for all senses that would have even ol’ Hunter S. Thompson hitchhiking his way to the Land of Lincoln.

Begin your journey into this heartland hallucination by chucking tradition out the window faster than an Al Capone rival during Prohibition. Instead, fasten your seatbelts for a road trip across Illinois' most exquisitely bizarre Thanksgiving offerings.

First stop: The Great Turkey Proclamation (123 Main St., Springfield, IL 62701). Yes, friends, before you stuff that gobbler full of day-old bread chunks, witness it pardoned like a political prisoner at Old State Capitol Plaza. Watch as Governor Pardon-Power declares at least one lucky bird free as Abraham Lincoln’s eloquence on emancipation.

Now get ready to ramp up those taste buds because next comes Piecaken! That's right—stuffing isn’t the only thing thrust into another this holiday season. At Quirky Qookery (456 Dessert Dr., Evanston, IL 60201), chefs are embracing Frankenstein-like innovation baking entire pies inside cakes—a culinary chimera if there ever was one.

Craving something wilder? Take part in Elmhurst's Annual Cranberry Bog Sprint (789 Berry Ln., Elmhurst, IL 60126)—splash through miles of floating crimson berries while contemplating Thoreau's musings about wildness and preservation. If transcendentalism doesn't dry you off afterward perhaps participating in Galena’s Historic Ghost Tour will send shivers down your spine strong enough to shake loose any clinging bog water (234 Spooky St., Galena, IL 61036).

No gonzo galivant is complete without honoring native traditions—visit Cahokia Mounds World Heritage Site (999 Ancient Ave., Collinsville, IL 62234) where indigenous peoples once gathered for feasts centuries before Plymouth Rock had celebrity status among settlers seeking savory spreads.

For those yearning for cosmopolitan flair amidst turkey troves head over to Chi-Town’s very own Vegan Paradise Feastival held at Eclectic Eatery & Euphoria Emporium (321 Modern Way Chicago Ilinois). Trade drumsticks for plant-based palettes while conversing with some speculative fiction greats who've illustrated future foodscapes minus animal fare; think Kim Stanley Robinson meets "The Jungle."

And what could be more fitting than ending our escapade back where such rabble-rousers as Studs Terkel found solace—in local bookstore nooks turned bohemian bistro bars like Lit Lair Lounge & Libations (567 Book Blvd., Champaign Ilinois). Here sip thematic cocktails like Tequila Mockingbird amongst stacks not just filled but alive with literary legends both past and present who’ve called this state home from Sandra Cisneros to Ernest Hemingway.

Websites:

- Old State Capitol Plaza - http://www.oldstatecapitol.org

- Quirky Qookery - https://www.qquirkyqook.com

- Elmhurst Annual Events - http://www.elmhurstevenstown.gov/cranberrysprint

- Galena Historical Tours - http://galenaghosttours.com

- Cahokia Mounds Museum Society - https://cahokiamounds.org/

- Eclectic Eatery & Euphoria Emporium - https://veganparadisefeastival.il.co/

- Lit Lair Lounge & Libations - http://litlairbooksandbar.il/

Twitter Handles:

@OldCapitolIL @QuirkyQook @ElmCranSprint @SpiritsOfGalena @CahokiaMoundsMS @VeganFeast_IL @LitLoungeChamp

So embark upon these eclectic spectacles—one part homage to Americana kitsch culture tinged with twinges belonging firmly within its borders—the other part an interrogation into sustainable futures stirred by techno-culture optimism mixed liberally with historical reverence—and always remember that beneath every oddity lies truth stranger still than fiction... Welcome to Thanksgiving la Illinois!