New York’s Thanksgiving Heroes: The Faces Behind the Festivities

While most New Yorkers spend Thanksgiving enjoying family time and a well-deserved break from work, a dedicated few are busier than ever, ensuring the city’s holiday traditions continue smoothly. These unsung heroes work tirelessly behind the scenes, bringing warmth, nourishment, and festive spirit to the Big Apple during its most celebrated holiday. From dressing parade participants to feeding those in need and creating memorable dining experiences, these three remarkable individuals embody the true essence of giving that defines Thanksgiving.

Kimberly Montgomery, the 64-year-old costume director for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, begins her holiday at the eye-watering hour of 2:30 a.m., running on adrenaline as she prepares to oversee the dressing of 4,000 parade participants. “We have 2,000 balloon handlers, 750 clowns, about 300 float escorts, about 100 costumed characters, 300 children, 500 people in officials’ jackets, and the dance teams,” explains Montgomery, who has worked the parade annually since 2000. Starting as a data entry person, this former Broadway performer worked her way up to become costume director in 2003, a position she’s held ever since. Her Thanksgiving day begins with a pre-dawn breakfast at the Tick Tock Diner with colleagues before meeting 200 dressers and makeup artists at 4:15 a.m. By 5 a.m., the doors open and the dressing marathon begins. Without individual fittings beforehand, Montgomery has mastered the art of improvisation, calling herself “the queen of Plan B.” The work continues until mid-afternoon, including the crucial undressing phase when items are immediately returned to storage facilities in New Jersey. Despite the exhaustion, Montgomery loves being part of this iconic tradition, which she once watched on television as a child in St. Louis before moving to New York in 1988. After her parade duties conclude, she celebrates Thanksgiving with her family at a city hotel, avoiding cooking “at all costs.”

In the Melrose section of The Bronx, 70-year-old Marty Rogers has spent the past 47 years organizing a Thanksgiving dinner at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church for neighbors in need. What began as a modest meal with three turkeys prepared by parents of youth group members has evolved into a major event serving approximately 500 people, complete with 40 turkeys and 150 volunteers. “We’re like Radio City Music Hall, except we feed you,” Rogers quips. The dinner includes all the traditional fixings—mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce—served to about 200 guests seated in the church hall, with the rest delivered to those unable to attend. Rogers takes special pride in the fact that more than half the volunteers are young people, from elementary to high school age, with his own family pitching in throughout the years. The dinner, costing around $3,000 total, depends on donations and community support, including turkeys provided by the Sisters of Christian Charity. Volunteers transform the hall with festive decorations and prepare turkeys in their own homes, bringing unique flavors to the meal. Rogers insists the service run like a “five-star restaurant,” with guests receiving name tags and being treated with personalized attention by the volunteer waitstaff, many of whom are bilingual to serve the area’s large Spanish-speaking population. When the dinner concludes around 2 p.m., Rogers and his family return home to enjoy their own meal—notably not turkey, but Italian food, as they’re “tired of smelling and looking at turkeys” after weeks of preparation.

For Fariyal Abdullahi, the 39-year-old executive chef at Chelsea seafood restaurant Hav & Mar, working on holidays comes with the territory. “They tell you these things in culinary school—that you’re going to be working Thanksgiving and Christmas and you probably won’t be able to make most graduations or birthday parties,” she explains. “It doesn’t really sink in then, but the first year you’re an actual professional working in a kitchen, it’s no joke.” Born and raised in Ethiopia, Abdullahi came to the United States at 17 to study psychology, initially planning to become a doctor like most of her siblings. Instead, she secretly applied to culinary school and has spent thirteen years working her way up in the industry, including a stint at the prestigious Copenhagen restaurant Noma. Handpicked by restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson to lead Hav & Mar, which opened in 2022, Abdullahi infuses her cooking with influences from her Ethiopian heritage and Nordic culinary training—connections she shares with Ethiopian-Swedish chef Samuelsson. The restaurant’s menu has evolved to reflect the diverse backgrounds of its staff, including Filipino, Peruvian, and Ecuadorian influences, creating what Abdullahi describes as “exactly what New York is.” On Thanksgiving, rather than serving traditional American fare, the restaurant offers its signature dishes à la carte. Before their shift, the staff enjoys their own “family meal,” with team members contributing dishes like homemade tamales. Abdullahi credits the restaurant’s close-knit atmosphere to her “no yelling” policy and focus on creating “as joyful an environment as I can.” Her ultimate goal for guests on Thanksgiving is for them to leave “feeling cared for, like they were part of something special.”

These three New Yorkers—Montgomery with her costume command center, Rogers with his community feast, and Abdullahi with her culinary artistry—represent the diverse ways dedicated individuals keep the city’s Thanksgiving spirit alive. While operating in different spheres, they share a common commitment to service and creating memorable experiences for others, often at the expense of their own traditional holiday celebrations. Montgomery ensures thousands of parade participants look their festive best while coordinating a massive logistical operation; Rogers transforms his church hall into a welcoming space where hundreds can enjoy a dignified holiday meal; and Abdullahi crafts innovative dishes that honor both her own heritage and the multicultural essence of New York City.

Their stories reveal that behind every New York Thanksgiving tradition lies tremendous effort, creativity, and dedication. Montgomery’s precision keeps the parade looking spectacular year after year; Rogers’ persistence has sustained a community meal for nearly five decades; and Abdullahi’s passion ensures diners have a special place to gather when they can’t be with family. All three demonstrate the behind-the-scenes work that makes holidays meaningful, not just for themselves but for thousands of New Yorkers and visitors. As Montgomery puts it, reflecting on the parade she once watched as a child and now helps create, “It really does kick off the holiday season. Macy’s has been doing this for 99 years—that’s pretty phenomenal.”

Through their extraordinary commitment, these individuals embody the giving spirit of Thanksgiving while reminding us that many of our most cherished holiday experiences depend on those willing to work while others celebrate. Their stories offer a glimpse into the intricate machinery that keeps New York City’s Thanksgiving traditions running smoothly—a testament to the unsung heroes whose dedication makes the holiday special for everyone else.