United States -- Ships And Festivals Mark Anniversary

MIAMI - It doesn't make a whit of difference where Columbus landed in the New World 500 years ago - the United States is celebrating throughout 1992 as if for sure he set foot on North American soil.

For starters, copies of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, Columbus' ships that sailed the Atlantic, will dock in at least 21 cities along both coasts and the Gulf of Mexico. While in port, the ships will be open to the public.

The ships are scheduled to arrive in Miami on Feb. 14 and through the year will work their way around to the West Coast (ports in California only).

Columbus fever is manifesting itself in other forms, too, with events ranging from historical symposia to art exhibits, parades and symphonies.

Columbus, Ohio, which claims to be the most populous city bearing the explorer's name, is planning a six-month, $95 million exposition from April 20 to Oct. 12.

"Columbus '92: A World to Discover," will feature a cultural festival, ethnic food fair and flower show with traditional gardens from a dozen countries.

The May International Festival, an annual event in Memphis, Tenn., dedicated to a different country each year, will focus on Italy and Columbus this year.

More than 100 events are scheduled, including exhibits of Italian paintings and Etruscan antiquities, Italian wine and food tastings, and a "Viva Italia" concert on May 2.

Philadelphia's year-long celebrations include the Franklin Institute Science Museum's exhibit of navigational artifacts, a flower show based on Spanish-influenced gardens of the Southwest and a parade on Oct.11 with Luciano Pavarotti as grand marshal.

In Washington D.C., a major exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History explores the impact of Columbus' voyages of discovery on both Europe and the New World.

San Francisco's celebrations are centered around the appearance of the ships during the Columbus Day weekend. There will be a reenactment of Columbus' landing, a review of modern naval vessels, a tall ship rally and what is touted as the largest-ever fireworks display on the West Coast.

New York's gala celebration is scheduled for the Fourth of July, while the ships are in the harbor. A salute of tall ships, fireworks and an outdoor concert are planned.

Miami's festivities are scheduled throughout the year.

Hispanic cultural heritage will be explored in cultural programs, including classical and contemporary music and dance, food tastings and historical seminars.

One of the highlights of the celebrations will be the welcoming of the replica ships, when a flotilla of 10,000 sail boats, motor boats and tall ships go out to greet them and escort them into harbor.

MORE INFORMATION

-- Information on celebrations by state is free from the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission, 1801 F St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006. Telephone 1-202-632-1992.

-- The schedule for the ships - the replicas of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria - includes New Orleans, April 3-5; Tampa, Fla., April 10-19; St. Augustine, Fla., April 25-27; Charleston, S.C., May 1-3; Norfolk, Va., May 8-10; Baltimore, May 15-25; Annapolis, Md., May 27-29; Philadelphia, June 6-14; Wilmington, Del., June 16-17; Atlantic City, N.J., June 19-21, New York City, June 29-July 19; New London and Mystic, Conn., July 24-26, and Boston, July 31-Aug. 16.

The ships then will go by freighter through the Panama Canal to San Francisco, where they will anchor from Oct. 2-25. They will then set sail south along the California coast, with stops in San Luis Obispo, Oct. 30-Nov. 1; Los Angeles, Nov. 6-29; San Juan Capistrano, Dec. 4-6, and San Diego, Dec. 11-20.