How and where are you going to be celebrating Columbus Day? In many places around the United States there are parades held to celebrate Columbus Day. Parades are the traditional way of celebrating many different holidays, one example would be the Thanksgiving Day parades. Parades provide fun times and experiences for people of all ages, but they are especially fun for younger children who love to see the floats, and big balloons. You may feel like you need a visitor’s guide when it comes to figuring out where you are going and what you are going to do for each holiday but for Columbus Day, all you have to do is pick a parade. You can go and have fun with the whole family. But where are these parades? There are many different Columbus Day parades to choose from; here is a list of some parades to give you a taste of where you can find them and what they are like:
• New York, NY. The Columbus Day parade has been organizing in New York since 1929 and more than 35,000 people participate in the parade each year. The second Monday in October is when the parade is held. During the New York Columbus Day parade hundreds of marching bands perform and compete. The bands include high school bands as well.
• San Francisco, CA. The parade that is held in San Francisco is normally referred to as the Italian Heritage parade and is free admission. This parade does not only celebrate Columbus, but the Italian history and culture as well. During the Italian Heritage parade there are handmade floats, free activities for children, and performing artists.
• Denver Co. The Denver Colorado Columbus Day parade has a lot of significance in history. Colorado was the first state to observe Columbus Day and in 1909 it held its first Columbus Day parade. It wasn’t until 1971 that Columbus Day was declared a national holiday that was to be observed by all 50 states
• Chicago IL. The Chicago Columbus Day parade has the crowning of a Columbus Day queen. There are many activities available for children at this parade because the Chicago public schools are let out on Columbus Day and many parents like to bring their children. There is also a special Mass for Catholics that is held right before the parade. The Mass is part of the Italian heritage and culture that the parade includes in the celebration.
Madison Hewerdine is an author who likes to write visitors guides and has a passion for singing.
