What is Labor Day?
Labor Day is a public holiday in the USA and is always celebrated on the first Monday of September.
Americans use the day to mark the unofficial end of summer and welcome autumn with its chillier and darker days.
Labor Day also marks the last day of summer holidays as kids head back to school this week in many of the USA districts, particularly in the northeast.
The day was first introduced in the 1880s to celebrate the American worker.
Labor Day honours the American labour movement and the contributions workers across the country have made to the well-being of the USA.
The first celebration of Labor Day was held in New York in 1882 with a parade followed by a picnic.
Who officially suggested the day is not clear but many believe the celebration was proposed by members of the New York labor movement.
The first state to introduce Labor Day as an official holiday was the state of Oregon in 1887.
In 1894, the day was made a legal federal holiday for everyone.
Canada also celebrates Labour Day today and like in the USA, the date is always celebrated on the first Monday of September.
Labor Day can be compared to “May Day” in Europe, where the labour force is honoured May 1 every year.
How is Labor Day celebrated?
Labor Day is celebrated all over the USA with parades, picnics, BBQs, fireworks and other public gatherings.
The annual New York City Labor Day Parade does not take place before Saturday, September 8, but if you’re in the USA this Labor Day Monday there are plenty of big events happening across the country.
In Brooklyn, New York the weekend was kicked off by the West Indian American Day Carnival with plenty of colourful costumes and Caribbean food and today is the final day of the event.
Chicago’s Jazz Festival is also on, so music fans can enjoy the sound of pianos, trumpets and trombones in the state of Illinois’ city.
The LA County Fair in San Diego could also make a nice activity this Labor Day, or if you find yourself in Denver, the food festival “Taste of Colorado” will be underway.
If you’re not one for big public gatherings, many choose to stay in and enjoy a nice meal with their family and close friends.
An old commandment states that “thou shall not wear white after Labor Day” but this is seen as an outdated rule that’s meant to be broken.