Talking Turkey

Not every turkey is going to end up on a dinner table on Thursday. For the 61st year, the president has pardoned a symbolic bird – in this case a pair of birds – in honor of this distinctly American holiday. The first National Thanksgiving Turkey was presented to President Harry Truman in 1947, and this year’s birds are from Ellsworth, Iowa. After the honorary pardoning, the young turkey and his alternate will be flown to Disneyland where he will be the grand marshal of “Disney’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” and will later greet guests in Frontierland.

For more information about this annual ceremony to honor turkeys and to cast your vote for the official turkeys’ names, visit Thanksgiving at the White House.