Thanksgiving Feast-i-val 2025

By Liv Colavito

The holiday season is flying by… and you know what they say: time flies when you’re having fun! But for many children growing up in foster care, this time of year can also be the hardest—families may be separated, traditions go uncelebrated, and gifts aren’t always exchanged. That’s why Team Felix works overtime each holiday season to make sure our youth feel seen, supported, and surrounded by community.

We kicked off the festivities with our annual Thanksgiving Feast-i-val at Hill Country BBQ in Manhattan, held every year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

This year, 93 guests joined us for this beloved Felix tradition—coming together over a Texas-style Thanksgiving feast filled with brisket, mac & cheese, cornbread, and all the fixings. Our longtime friend Kooky the Clown returned with face painting, balloon animals, and his signature comedic flair—transforming kids into butterflies, unicorns, and even full-on Spidermen. DJ Clientele kept the energy high, spinning music, taking requests, and running our annual trivia showdown. The grand prize? A super-plush, oversized throw blanket generously donated by Junior Board member Ryan. The winner walked away with a huge blanket and an even bigger smile (pictured below!).

And while not everyone snagged a trivia prize, every young person left with a thoughtfully curated Felix goodie bag—complete with a Coach scarf, a pack of Darryl Makes Cookies, a journal and pen, fidgets and squishy keychains… plus a warm chocolate chip cookie from Hill Country for the road.

With all that excitement—you’d think we’d covered it all. But the heart of Feast-i-val is something even more meaningful: the reunion, connection, and sense of family that fills the room when Felix youth come together. For many, this gathering creates the traditions they may not have elsewhere and brings comfort during a time of year that can be incredibly difficult. These moments are why we do what we do. A special thank you to the astounding turn out of nearly 20 volunteers who took time out of their pre-holiday weekend, our Felix team, the owners and staff from Hill Country BBQ, and our in-kind donors who all pulled together to help us make this one day out of the year so incredibly special for Felix kids.