Why Do We Celebrate Columbus Day? Facts History and Date

Everyone knows that Christopher Columbus discovered America, but do you know that he also landed in Limon, on the Costa Rican coast, in 1502. Today, the Costa Ricans celebrate his arrival centuries ago, with a weeklong carnival.

Columbus Day is also called Native Americans’ Day or Indigenous People’s Day. In 2021, Columbus Day is on Monday, October 11.

Columbus Day
The Arrival of Christopher Columbus to America – Source: Wikimedia Commons

In United States, Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October every year (Formerly celebrated on October 12). It is a tribute not only to Christopher Columbus but to all the immigrants who came later from China, North America, Europe, and especially Africa, to work on the railroad and the banana plantations in Costa Rica.

Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the United States. All federal offices are closed but not all states grant it as a day off from work. Some state offices may still be open.

Recommended Watch: What If Columbus Never Discovered America?

Columbus Day Celebration

There is a spectacular parade, with hundreds of people dressed in wild costumes, dancing, and singing, There are also bullfights, water sports competitions, and exhibitions of the work of local artists. The largest celebration of Columbus Day happens every year in New York City, with a spectacular parade and festivities.

The carnival days are filled with singing and dancing in the streets, and not even the rain can stop the festivities. Throughout the week, immense quantities of typical Limonene dishes, including rice and beans flavored with coconut and Caribbean spices, as well as everyone’s favorite fried plantains, are enjoyed by the revelers.

Also Watch: Christopher Columbus – The Discovery Of America And What Happened After

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