Marin Italians

Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492. The day is celebrated as Columbus Day in the United States and as Día de la Raza (Day of the Race) in many countries in Latin America.
Some History:
Columbus celebrations commemorate the Genoese explorer's first expedition across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492. Columbus, on commission by the Spanish monarchy, was hoping to find a new naval route to India and the other nations of the East, but instead found the American continent which was virtually unknown to Europeans at the time. Columbus's sailor Rodrigo de Triana was the first on the voyage to spot land in the New World; he found the island the natives called Guanahani at approximately 2:00 AM on October 12, 1492. The exact location of this island is unknown, though it was somewhere in the Bahamas. Columbus's expedition launched the first large-scale European colonization of the Americas.
The first Columbus Day celebration was held in 1792, when New York City celebrated the 300th anniversary of his landing in the New World.

Kids can celebrate Christopher Columbus with Craft and activities. Here is a web site with Columbus day activities, recipes and more.