by Meliza Aguilera, Fort Worth Report
October 27, 2026

This year’s community dinner also marks General Manager Austin Jourde’s final year as chair before retirement.

Before Thanksgiving tables are set at home, Central Market is making room for Fort Worth to gather around a table of its own. Feast of Sharing returns to Dickies Arena for its 14th year in Fort Worth on Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 3 to 7 p.m., inviting neighbors of all ages to enjoy a free Thanksgiving dinner and an afternoon of holiday cheer.

For Austin Jourde, Central Market Fort Worth’s longtime General Manager who has been with Central Market for more than 25 years, this year’s gathering is especially meaningful. Jourde, who spearheaded Fort Worth’s first Feast of Sharing event in 2012, will retire this year. The 2026 celebration will be his last as chair of the event he helped establish as a local Fort Worth holiday community tradition.

This long-standing H-E-B tradition is more than a holiday meal; it’s about bringing people together. It takes H-E-B/Central Market partners, community volunteers and local organizations to give their time, welcome guests and make sure everyone feels included. That shared effort has been at the heart of Fort Worth’s Feast of Sharing from the beginning.

Feast of Sharing is free and open to the public — everyone is welcome! It’s a time where families, friends and neighbors come together to kick off the holiday season with great food, music, and fun. For someone facing a difficult season, Feast of Sharing offers a welcome meal, a sense of community, and companionship.

Feast of Sharing provides a traditional-style Thanksgiving dinner with table service from volunteers served alongside a heaping helping of community fun. Guests settle in and enjoy live music while meals are brought to them, creating the warmth of a hosted holiday gathering. This year, the traditional spread will include sliced turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and pumpkin pie.

Every year, Central Market prepares to welcome up to 10,000 guests during the four-hour event, with more than 1,000 community volunteers making this possible. But even with an event of this magnitude, what makes this one unique and special is the way guests are greeted and seated upon entry, the fun activities that fill the room, and the live music for anyone wanting to simply sit back and enjoy or take a spin around the dance floor. This year’s event will welcome long-time favorite musical groups including Suzy & the Sissies, PALADIN, Tejas Classics Band, Legacy 4, and Michael Hix & the Classix.

Children always love the Kid’s Zone area with visits from Santa, bounce houses and obstacle courses, cookie decorating, face painting, and a live petting zoo. In addition, organizations such as Streetside Showers will be offering free showers, CleanUp USA will be offering free haircuts, and free Flu and COVID vaccines will also be available.

Started in 1989, H-E-B’s Feast of Sharing is part of the company’s year-round commitment to hunger relief. For close to four decades, volunteers have helped serve more than five million meals through the annual celebrations. Central Market, part of the H-E-B family, brings that spirit of hospitality to Fort Worth.

Jourde’s retirement adds a personal milestone to this year’s gathering. His role in chairing Feast of Sharing in Fort Worth connects his years of leadership at Central Market with a tradition that reaches well beyond the store. As he chairs his final dinner, the occasion will recognize a lasting contribution to the community he has served.

Fort Worth’s 2026 Feast of Sharing will take place Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Dickies Arena, 1911 Montgomery St. The holiday celebration is free and open to the public. For event updates and volunteer information, visit centralmarket.com/feastofsharing.

This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.