Castro Valley: How WIll You Celebrate Columbus Day?

Columbus Day, a nationally recognized federal holiday, falls on Monday, Oct. 8 this year. 

It remembers Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, whose long journey across the Atlantic Ocean ended when his crew spotted land on Oct. 12, 1492.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made it a federal holiday in 1937.

The biggest celebration in the region will be San Francisco's 138th annual Columbus Day Parade.

It will begin at 12:30 pm on Sunday, October 7, at the foot of Jefferson and Stockton Streets in Fisherman's Wharf. 

Learn the route and activities here.

Enjoy FREE admission to all activities, including the Ferrari Sportscar display in Washington Square Park and a variety of hands-on activities for children and families.

With one caveat. The highways and mass transit will be jammed with Fleet Week, the America's Cup and other events. So be patient.

Most banks, government offices and the U.S. Postal Service will be closed to observe the holiday. 

But shoppers will enjoy the Columbus Day sales.

If you used to celebrate Columbus Day with dinner out at an Italian restaurant, of course Banchero's is no longer a candidate. But Patch readers came up with some alternates for that family favorite which closed this year. Enjoy!

Tell us: What are your plans? Shopping? Relaxation? Celebration?

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