'Never Forget' - 2026 Patriot Day Observance in Columbus is Friday

COLUMBUS, Ind. - The City of Columbus invites the community to join in commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. A Patriot's Day remembrance ceremony will be held on Friday, September 11, at Columbus City Hall Plaza, 123 Washington St., beginning at approximately 8:30 a.m.

The Columbus Fire Department also announced that after this year’s 25th anniversary observance, it will transition from an annual public ceremony and move to marking only milestone anniversaries. This change will allow firefighters to shift toward more intimate, internal station-level rituals.

Currently, 17 of the department’s 95 members were serving as Columbus Firefighters at the time of the attacks. Chief Andy Lay noted that many current members who were not yet born or working in the fire service in 2001 have nonetheless embraced “Never Forget” as a cultural vow within the profession. 

The ceremony will include a moment of silence, offering attendees time for reflection and honoring the memory of those who perished in the attacks.

A special dispatch broadcast will pay tribute to first responders and citizens who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 individuals perished in the attacks.

The Columbus Police and Fire Color Guard will participate, and Columbus Fire Department officials will deliver remarks. A traditional fire service bell ceremony is also planned. The observance is expected to last around 30 minutes.