Pass the stuffing and turn up the TV. Miranda Lambert is heading home to Texas for Thanksgiving, and she’s bringing the show to one of the biggest stages in sports.
The multi-Platinum, three-time GRAMMY winner will perform live at AT&T Stadium during the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, November 26, 2026. Her set headlines the 30th consecutive Salvation Army Red Kettle Kickoff halftime show, the national launch of the charity’s holiday fundraising season.
How to Watch Miranda Lambert’s Thanksgiving Halftime Show
- Date: Thursday, November 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving Day)
- Game: Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
- Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. CT / 4:30 p.m. ET
- TV: FOX
- Halftime: Miranda Lambert, live, for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Kickoff
Tip: halftime usually lands about 90 minutes after kickoff, so plan your second plate accordingly.
Miranda Is Coming Home
For an East Texas native like Lambert, this one is personal. “There’s something special about how music brings people together, especially when it’s to spread joy and hope to families who need it most,” she said. “The Salvation Army and the Dallas Cowboys have built an incredible tradition with the Red Kettle Kickoff, and I can’t wait to be back home in Texas this Thanksgiving to help carry it forward.”
Cowboys fans, Eagles fans, and everyone at the kids’ table can agree on one thing: a Texas girl singing at a Texas stadium on Thanksgiving is about as country as a holiday gets.
30 Years of the Red Kettle Kickoff
The halftime show has a pretty great origin story. Back in the 1990s, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones challenged his daughter, Charlotte Jones, to get fans caring about the team’s impact off the field as much as the game itself. Charlotte came up with the idea of turning the team’s nationally televised Thanksgiving halftime into the launch of The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, pitched it to network executives herself, and has championed it ever since.
“The Red Kettle Kickoff has become one of the Dallas Cowboys’ proudest traditions and one my family and our entire organization look forward to every Thanksgiving,” said Jones, now the team’s chief brand officer and co-owner. “For 30 years, incredible artists have appeared on our halftime stage to help The Salvation Army bring hope to millions of people in need. We’re grateful to Miranda Lambert for joining that legacy and helping us continue this meaningful tradition.”
The numbers back her up. This year marks The Salvation Army’s 136th Red Kettle Campaign, and over three decades the kickoff has helped the campaign raise more than $3.4 billion.
Country Built This Halftime Show
It’s fitting that country is front and center for the 30th anniversary, because country started it. Reba McEntire headlined the very first Red Kettle Kickoff in 1997. Since then the stage has hosted everyone from Destiny’s Child, the Jonas Brothers and Selena Gomez to a long line of country favorites:
- 1997: Reba McEntire (the inaugural show)
- Carrie Underwood
- 2023: the late Dolly Parton, in a performance fans still talk about
- 2024: Lainey Wilson
- 2025: Post Malone, fresh off his country crossover
- 2026: Miranda Lambert
Coming just months after we lost Dolly, Lambert stepping onto the same stage feels like a passing of the torch from one Southern woman who never apologized for being herself to another.
Why the Red Kettle Matters
Those red kettles and ringing bells outside the grocery store are more than a holiday soundtrack. “The Red Kettle Campaign gives people a simple way to spread joy and support their neighbors in need,” said Commissioner Merle Heatwole, national commander of The Salvation Army. “The Red Kettle Kickoff has brought that spirit of giving to a national audience for the last three decades.”
Best part: every donation stays in the community where it’s given. You can give, get help, or learn more at SalvationArmyUSA.org, or just drop a few bucks in the next kettle you walk past.
Miranda Lambert Thanksgiving Halftime FAQ
Who is performing at the Cowboys Thanksgiving halftime show in 2026? Miranda Lambert headlines the 30th Salvation Army Red Kettle Kickoff halftime show.
What time is the Cowboys Thanksgiving game? Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. CT (4:30 p.m. ET) on Thursday, November 26, 2026.
What channel is the Cowboys vs. Eagles Thanksgiving game on? FOX.
Who performed at the Cowboys Thanksgiving halftime show last year? Post Malone headlined in 2025. Lainey Wilson performed in 2024 and Dolly Parton in 2023.
Who performed the first Red Kettle Kickoff halftime show? Reba McEntire, in 1997.
How much has the Red Kettle Kickoff raised? The Red Kettle Campaign has raised more than $3.4 billion with help from the kickoff over the last three decades.
Your Turn
Miranda has a catalog stacked with anthems, from fiery breakup songs to Texas love letters. If you could pick one song for her to sing at halftime, what would it be? Drop your pick in the comments, and tell us which Thanksgiving halftime show is still your all-time favorite.
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