Columbus Day food truck feast held in Johnston

JOHNSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — Johnston hosted its first annual Columbus Day Food Truck Feast on Monday.

The event held live music, food trucks, and Rhode Island residents celebrating Columbus Day, also known as Indigenous People’s Day at Johnston Memorial Park.

While some states have renamed Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day, Rhode Island refers to the holiday as both.

“I call it Columbus Day,” Smithfield resident Lynn Tarro said. “But I’m open to what anyone that wants to call it what they prefer is fine.”

“I actually have no opinion on it,” Coventry resident Jimmy Salabert said. “I know a lot of people have strong ties to both sides and rightfully so.”

It also marked the one year anniversary of the Christopher Columbus statue’s new home at the park.

The statue was moved from Providence after being vandalized multiple times, due to the controversy surrounding Columbus.

“Being from Providence, I am in agreement with the fact that we shouldn’t be celebrating Christopher Columbus,” Providence resident Kelsey White said. “Growing up we were always told to celebrate this man when he was in fact not the greatest man and enslaved a lot of people, and hurt a lot of indigenous people.”