ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Indigenous People’s Day and Columbus Day celebrations happened throughout the region Monday.

Indigenous People’s Day at RMSC

The Rochester Museum and Science Center hosted an Indigenous People’s Day celebration Monday afternoon.

The event honored Native American history with displays, vendors and food. Activities included creating suspension bridges, highlighting the engineering from Inka, Quechua and Aymara Indigenous groups, and testing out the Navajo codes created during the 20th century. Artists showed how groups used natural elements to weave bowls and jewelry and build boats and bridges, while a parade highlighted traditional music and dancing.

Rochester Knighthawks players Zed Williams and Jake Piseno attended the event to meet with fans and represent Seneca Nation and the P’urhépecha tribe respectively.

“There should be more curriculum in the schools so that people do learn about the history of this land prior to colonization. And what I’d like people to know is that we’re grateful people,” Trish Corcoran, co-chair of Indigenous People’s Day, said.

“It’s so important to be grateful for everything that Mother Earth gives us and for what we have. If you’re grateful for things, then you want less, and that’s better for you and it’s better for the earth,” Corcoran said.

This year marked the fifth Indigenous People’s Day celebration in Rochester. At 6 p.m. the celebration continued with a sunset ceremony on the museum’s front steps on East Avenue.

Italian Americans celebrate Christopher Columbus

In Gates, Italian Americans celebrated Columbus Day, honoring their ties to Christopher Columbus and sharing the meaning of the holiday to them. People gathered at the Italian American Sport Club Monday for a celebratory luncheon that included a lifetime achievement award, a flag raising ceremony and a scholarship award.

Former president of the Monroe County Legislature Anthony Daniele was the guest speaker.

“We celebrate Columbus Day—it’s more than just a voyage across the sea in 1492. Again it’s something that Italians take great pride in that this Italian individual contributed so much to the foundation of this country,” Daniele said.

“And showing that the perseverance, the hard work, the dedication to do what he did has spilled over into really the work ethic and family traditions that we hold so dear as Italian Americans,” Daniele said.

Guests honored Columbus’ commitment to exploration through speech, song, and sharing a meal together.

The luncheon also included awards for outstanding citizen and outstanding community service.

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