Labor Day is considered the unofficial end of summer. The last long weekend to spend time with friends and family. Like other holidays, the real reason we celebrate the holiday can be overlooked. So, why do we celebrate Labor Day? It is a day set aside to celebrate the contributions and dedication of the 122 million men and women who are in the United States workforce.
The first Labor Day in the U.S. was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882. It was held in New York City and planned by the Central Labor Union. About 10,000 workers took unpaid leave and held a Labor Day parade, marching from City Hall past Union Square uptown to 42nd Street and ending at Wendel’s Elm Park. There the participants held a concert, speeches and a picnic. Congress passed an act on June 28, 1894, making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories officially establishing Labor Day.
Here are some fun facts about Labor Day:
- Labor Day is the unofficial end of Hot Dog Season. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says that between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Americans will eat 7 billion hot dogs. That’s 818 hot dogs consumed every second during that period. (That is a lot of hot dogs!)
- Labor Day is the third most popular day for grilling in the U.S. Number one is the Fourth of July and number two is Memorial Day. (Fire up those grills and let the b-b-q begin!)
- According to BoxOffice Mojo, the movie Halloween in 2007 was the top grossing movie opener on a Labor Day weekend. The movie grossed $30,591,759. (I was not one of those in attendance for this Labor Day Weekend premier. I made it through the original Halloween in 1978 and have been checking the backseat of my car every time I get in since then!)
- Labor Day weekend is traditionally considered one of the busiest weekends to travel. But, as is the case with most things is 2020, travel experts at AAA aren’t making predictions about Labor Day weekend travel this year due to the corona virus pandemic. They say trends show Americans in the summer of 2020 are more likely to act on the spur of the moment with our travel plans and are more cautious about our approach to travel than we were in the past.
- And finally, because I would not be a good Minnesotan if I left out this fun fact, the Great Minnesota Get Together (also known as the State Fair) ends on Labor Day. (Of course, not in 2020 because as we all know nothing is normal this year.) Under state law, public schools normally do not begin until after the holiday. One reason given for this timing was to allow time for schoolchildren to show 4-H projects at the fair.
This Labor Day, we hope you are able to relax and enjoy the last unofficial days of summer with those who love, support and motivate you to give your best at work and in all areas of your life. Our offices will be closed Monday, September 7, so that our staff can spend the holiday with family. We will be back on Tuesday, September 8 ready to assist you with all of your surety bond needs. Happy Labor Day!
