Columbus Day is celebrated in the honor of Christopher Columbus’s Birthday in United States. He was the explorer who landed in America in 1492.Columbus Day is annually celebrated on the second Monday of October. It is a long three day weekend holiday and people celebrate it with different activities.

History of Journey of Columbus

Most of people believed the world was flat and you would fall off the edge if you traveled too far, but Columbus believed the world was round and you could sail around it safely.In 1492, Christopher Columbus started his journey to discover new lands for the King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. The whole team of sailor divided in three ships: the Pinta, the Nina and the Santa Maria. Columbus had sailed to faraway lands before including Guinea and Iceland. Some problems with the Nina and the Pintaship, they caused a month-long delay in the Canary Islands. Columbus set his sail again on September 3, 1492 and 33 days later on October 12, 1492 he discovered the new land (America).

Columbus Day in the United States

The first Columbus Day was celebrated in 1792, when New York’s Columbian orderheld an event to commemorate the historic landing’s 300th anniversary. In various parts of the country, Italian and Catholic communities began organized annual religious ceremonies and parades in his honor. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation encouraging Americans to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage with patriotic festivities, writing, “On that day let the people, so far as possible, cease from toil and devote themselves to such exercises as may the best express honour to the discoverer and their appreciation of the great achievements of the four completed centuries of American life.”

In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Columbus Day as a national holiday and in 1971, it was fixed to the second Monday in October 12.

Columbus Day Traditions

Columbus Day is a national holiday in United States. You can see the mixture of Italian-American heritage and culture in Columbus Day celebration. Local groups are hosting parades and street fairs featuring colorful costumes, music and Italian food. People enjoy lots of activities including pow-wows, traditional dance and lessons about Native American culture.

Top Columbus Day Weekend Getaways

We all know it was a three day weekend holiday and most of people plan to go for a trip to enjoy this long weekend. If you are planning a Columbus Day trip, here are the top Columbus Day weekend getaways: New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Montauk, Miami, Denver, Burlington in Vermont, The Poconos, Lake Placid, Newport and Providence.

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