LONG BEACH — As Thanksgiving approaches, sailors across Southern California are getting ready to trade turkey for tillers at the 2025 Turkey Day Regatta, hosted by the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) in Long Beach. The annual event, set against the breezy backdrop of Alamitos Bay, has long been a cherished holiday tradition that blends competition, camaraderie, and the unmistakable joy of fall sailing.
Each November, the Turkey Day Regatta draws sailors representing an impressive mix of fleets. This year’s event will feature classes ranging from ILCAs and Naples Sabots to 29ers, J/22s, Melges, and PHRF boats. For many, the regatta serves as both a year-end competition and a reunion for the region’s sailing community, with multiple generations often sharing the same starting lines.
But to many sailors, the Turkey Day Regatta isn’t just about the racing. It’s about the unmistakable warmth that comes from ABYC’s legendary hospitality and its now-iconic Thanksgiving dinner.
“ABYC has held its Holiday Series regattas for decades, for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Turkey Day. The largest of these is the Turkey Day Regatta, which includes racing on the bay as well as on two courses in the ocean, followed by a spectacular Thanksgiving dinner,” said Ed Feo, Director of the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. “Last year we had over 150 boats entered in seventeen different classes. People come from all over the West for this race which usually has good breeze and better competition. But the main reason people come is the dinner. Last year we had a smoked turkey dinner with all of the fixings for an unbelievably low price. We served over 350 dinners!”
That combination of racing excitement and hearty dining has cemented the event as one of the most anticipated gatherings on the sailing calendar. Beyond the racing courses, the club transforms into a festival of holiday cheer.
“The club has a festival atmosphere during this regatta,” said Feo. “Music is playing in the yard as sailors of all ages rig their boats. We have a well-organized launch system so once the signal is given, fleets are ready and hit the water at their designated launch time. When they return from a day on the race course, the air is cool, the music is blasting, drinks and snacks are on hand, and then the assembled multitude heads upstairs for the feast.”
That feast is the heart of the weekend. It’s something ABYC has become famous for throughout the West Coast sailing scene. The dinner is a massive undertaking, coordinated through teamwork and a deep sense of club pride.
“The race and the dinner are staffed by a combination of our employees (a small but elite group) and many volunteers. I think we had nearly 100 members volunteering in the yard, on the water, and in the kitchen,” Feo explained. “The dinner prep took several days and most of the dishes were started from scratch, For example, we had members peeling potatoes for days.”
In the true spirit of Thanksgiving, every bit of the meal is homemade. “We cooked thirty-five turkeys in a large smoker in our boat yard,” Feo continued. “The outdoor cooking started the day before the event so when participants arrived on Friday or Saturday morning, they were greeted with the smell of turkeys roasting. By dinner time on Saturday, their appetites were definitely sharpened.”
Even the regatta trophies stay true to the Thanksgiving theme. “Another tradition: the trophies for this regatta are edible,” Feo said with a laugh. “Frozen turkeys are awarded to the first place winners, with pumpkin pies going to the other places. I handed out the trophies last year and there was something special about handing an eight-year-old Sabot sailor a twenty-pound turkey.”
For visiting racers and families, the event is about more than competition. It’s a celebration of gratitude, hard work, and the shared bond of sailing. The smoky scent of roasting turkeys, the sound of laughter from the yard, and the hum of conversations in the dining hall turn the weekend into something much bigger than a regatta.
Feo noted that the dinner wouldn’t happen without the club’s dedicated community. “One of our traditions at the dinner is to have staff commodores carving turkeys in the serving line,” he said. “It’s a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season with sailors from all over the region.”
While the racing itself remains a major draw — fast fleets, steady Long Beach breezes, and skillful competition — the dinner has evolved into the event’s signature moment. It’s the part that sailors talk about for months afterward, the piece that captures the spirit of the club and the holiday.
“So what’s the one word I would use to describe this event?” Feo reflected. “Well… maybe more than one word. Fun and festive. It’s a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season with sailors from all over the region.”
As the 2025 Turkey Day Regatta approaches, ABYC is already gearing up for another unforgettable weekend, one that will see hundreds of sailors hit the water by day and gather around long tables by night. It’s an event where the salt air mingles with the scent of smoked turkey, where friendly competition meets gratitude, and where community is carved alongside the turkey.
I doesn’t matter you’re a seasoned racer, a first-time visitor, or a sailor simply looking to experience the warmth of ABYC’s hospitality, the Turkey Day Regatta offers something rare: a reminder that the best traditions are built not only on the water, but around the table afterward. And for those who’ve ever tasted the club’s famous dinner, one thing is certain: at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, Thanksgiving truly begins by the bay.