Photo: Tim Mossholder 

By Bring Me The News Staff - Bring Me The News - October 10, 2022

The federal holiday known as either Indigenous People's Day or Columbus Day is being marked on Monday, Oct. 10.

The federal holiday was formerly known as Columbus Day, but was recognized as Indigenous People's Day last year by President Joe Biden, following the growing number of states and municipalities that had changed the name.

Minnesota cities that now recognize the day as Indigenous Peoples' Day include Minneapolis, St. Paul and Mankato.

Some services will be affected as it's a federal holiday, but you can still expect to find many things still operating unlike holidays such as Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Here's a look at what's open and closed.

Mail

Post officers are closed Monday, so mail won't be delivered.

However, FedEx and UPS are still open, so if you're sending or receiving a package through them, they'll be up and running.

Federal offices

Since Columbus Day is a federal holiday, federal services in Minnesota are closed, including the U.S. District Court of Minnesota.

State and city services

Columbus/Indigenous People's Day is not an official state holiday even though Gov. Tim Walz has proclaimed the second Monday in October as Indigenous People's Day, so state offices will be open on Monday, as will state courts.

It's hit or miss whether county and city offices are open, as some have declared their own local holidays, prompting some services to be closed.

For example, the City of Minneapolis' offices are closed and parking meters aren't being enforced to observe Indigenous Peoples Day, as are some early voting centers in the city. And in the City of St. Paul, parking meters are also not enforced on Indigenous Peoples' Day.

However, Hennepin County offices and departments are open. So are offices and departments in Ramsey County.

Garbage

Garbage collection services scheduled for Monday pickup will happen Monday, at least for the majority of service providers across the state.

Schools

Most public schools, including Minneapolis Public Schools and St. Paul Public Schools, are open on Monday.

Banks

Most banks are closed for the federal holiday, but ATMs are open. The Stock Market is open and trading on Monday.

Shopping

Most grocery stores, gas stations, Targets, Walmarts, malls, restaurants, drug stores, etc. will be open Monday. Some retailers are offering discounts for the federal holiday.

Things to do

If you're looking to get out of the house and enjoy the weather, Minnesota's State Parks, the Minnesota Zoo and Como Zoo will be open. However, some museums may be closed.

Some events are also happening in the Twin Cities and around the state to celebrate the holiday throughout the weekend and Monday.

• The Owamni Falling Water Festival is happening Saturday at New Water Works Park in Minneapolis.
• Midtown Global Market is honoring Sean and Dana Sherman for their recent James Beard awards on Sunday. The Indigenous Food Lab will be presenting food demonstrations and offering samples of tea and butter cookies.
• The Hennepin County Library is showing a series of movies featuring Native filmmakers throughout the day Monday.
• The city of Mankato is celebrating with the screening of "Gather" from Oct. 6-10. 
• The Duluth Indigenous Commission is hosting an event to celebrate the holiday on Sunday.
• Pipestone National Monument is celebrating the holiday on Sunday with lights, music and traditional dancing.

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