Columbus Day is one of the most popular holidays Americans celebrate. Columbus Day was created from a British commemoration of Columbus Day – the anniversary of Columbus’ voyage across the ocean. Columbus Day celebrates Columbus Day on the first Sunday of May every year.
The first Columbus Day celebration was planned and founded by a group of Christians in the English-speaking Caribbean region. The Pilgrims were not alone when they named their island “Columbus.” Columbus originally discovered seven islands during his voyage of exploration; now, there are fifty-two designated Columbus Day islands.
When is Columbus Day 2024?
Columbus Day commemorates Columbus Day with a lot of pomp and circumstance. On this day, millions of people all over the world take part in parades, cultural shows, and social gatherings. Columbus Day symbols include flags, tributes, posters, banners, and more displayed worldwide.
Columbus Day has been celebrated ever since the United States became a country. The Columbus Day date is 10 October, as Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of the summer.
- Year > 2024
- Date > 10 October
- Weekday > Sunday
History of Columbus Day
Columbus Day in the United States was celebrated on the last Friday of May. This is not a traditional national holiday, as it was officially declared by a proclamation by President Theodore Roosevelt on Columbus Day, 29 July 1937. The original Columbus Day celebration lasted three days, beginning on the fourth day after Columbus’ voyage.
Roosevelt had designated this day as a private picnic and education event to which veterans and their families were invited. To ensure that the original Columbus Day celebration would remain a national holiday, it was changed to a less formal and much more welcoming second event.
Columbus Day in the United States now celebrates the day when Columbus and his group first set sail to the New World. Columbus Day recognizes Columbus as the discoverer of the New World and the first European to reach the Americas.
Columbus Day has been celebrated yearly since officially adopting the date when Columbus set sail for the new world. Many Columbus Day celebrations worldwide have also celebrated Columbus Day since then. It has now become an international day with many parades, ceremonies, Columbus Day trivia, and cultural displays being held in various countries and towns all around the globe.
Columbus Day Celebrations or Activities
Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of the summer, traditionally a public holiday in most US states. This second Monday is now designated as Columbus Day, the national Columbus Day. The second Monday of May, when Columbus Day was first celebrated, was a rationing holiday meant to help feed starving soldiers during the Civil War.
For this reason, Columbus Day has become a national holiday in the United States, although many local municipalities still celebrate Columbus Day differently. In some areas, the second Monday of May is not celebrated at all, while in other localities,
it is celebrated with parades, Columbus Day trivia, and other related activities. The United States and many international countries, such as Italy and France, recognize Columbus Daye. On this day, many schools in these countries observe the students’ visit to Columbus, USA, with various displays and Columbus Day trivia.
The first Monday of May is also designated as Italian Columbus Day. In many countries, this is also celebrated as “Columbus Day,” the name of the national Columbus Day. The second Monday of May in Canada is designated as Canadian Columbus Day.
