If you were in a local band or followed your favorite musicians in the 1970s and ‘80s, the place to be was The Hungry Farmer, a popular restaurant on Garden of the Gods Road known for its generous servings, country atmosphere, and the best in local live music.

In 1979 the Farmer’s manager decided to have a big Thanksgiving Day meal on Thanksgiving Eve for all the musicians who didn’t have anywhere to go or very much money to spend on the holiday. Those same musicians requested a post-meal jam session since they never got to play together and a holiday tradition was born.