This year Patriot Day (Sept. 11) falls on a Tuesday, the same day of the week as that fateful day 11 years ago when terrorists struck New York City and Washington, DC.
Patriot Day Events in Artesia and Cerritos
While Patriot Day events throughout the nation and Los Angeles County are abound, there will also be special ceremonies held in the Artesia and Cerritos area in honor of this day.
- In the city of Artesia, a Patriot Day Ceremony will be held at 12pm at . Call (562) 865-6262 for more information.
- In the city of Cerritos, a Patriot Day Concert will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Island Stage. Attendees can enjoy an evening of patriotic and American music while kids, ages 6 to 11, can make a Patriot Day-themed craft. A special ceremony will include a moment of silence honoring the victims and heroes of the Sept. 11th attacks. Snacks will be available for a nominal fee, and the city reminds everyone that no pets are allowed on the park premises during the event. Call (562) 916-1254 for more information.
The Nation Honors its Patriots
To honor the memory of those who perished in the attacks, President Barack Obama has requested that the American flag be flown at half-staff at individual American homes, at the White House, and on all U.S. government buildings and establishments, home and abroad.
The President also asks Americans to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. (EDT), the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
The History of Patriot Day
On Dec. 18, 2001, President George W. Bush signed into law that Sept. 11 be officially recognized as Patriot Day -- a time to remember the 2,977 killed in the 2011 attacks.
In 2009, a presidential proclamation declared the annual date, Sept. 11, be as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance.
The proclamation calls on Americans to "participate in community service in honor of those our Nation lost, to observe this day with other ceremonies and activities, including remembrance services ... to honor the innocent victims who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001."
