In fact, the Columbus Day Parade is one of the biggest NYC events in October, for over 35,000 marchers and groups participate in the spectacle that takes over Fifth Avenue.
If you’re not much of a walker, do some exploring of your own and check out New York attractions you’ve never seen, like the Columbus statue on top of the Columbus Circle monument. You can always celebrate with a plate of spaghetti at one of the best Italian restaurants in NYC, too.
This year, Columbus Day will fall on Monday, October 9, 2017. Christopher Columbus arrived October 12, 1492, but since 1970, the United States has observed the occasion on the second Monday of every October.
What is Columbus Day?
Columbus Day marks the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas. In the United States, the holiday is dedicated to celebrating Italian-American heritage.
The Columbus Day Parade is helded today and this year the procession is led by Grand Marshal Leonard Riggio, Chairman of Barnes & Noble, Inc.
The parade marches up Fifth Avenue from 47th to 72nd Sts. There’s red carpet performances on Fifth Avenue between 67th and 69th Sts.