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Contact: Mike Litterst, 202-245-4676 Washington –The 102nd annual Christopher Columbus Day Ceremony, sponsored by the National Christopher Columbus Association in cooperation with the National Park Service, will be held at Columbus Plaza in front of Union Station (50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE) on Monday, October 13. Musical prelude will begin at 10:45 a.m., with the ceremony commencing at 11 a.m. The ceremony will feature remarks on the significance of Columbus and his voyages to the New World;the reading of proclamations from President Obama and Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray in support of Columbus Day;the presentation of memorial wreaths;and music from the United States Marine Band ("The President's Own"). Anita Ramaswamy, winner of the 18th annual youth essay contest, will read her entry, entitled "How Do Americans View Christopher Columbus and George Washington Today?"
Columbus Plaza was designed by architect Daniel H. Burnham as a grand forecourt to Union Station with the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain as its centerpiece. Dedicated on June 8, 1912, the fountain features a 15' statue of Christopher Columbus atop a ship's prow featuring a winged figurehead representing the observation of Discovery. A globe with eagles on the four corners crowns the fountain, representing the Western Hemisphere. Columbus Plaza is administered and maintained by the National Park Service as part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks.
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Last updated: April 10, 2015