Labor Day Fun Facts

Labor Day is a federal holiday dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers and is traditionally celebrated on the first Monday in September. Here are a few more things about Labor Day you might not know ...

• The first Labor Day observance was believed to have been a parade in New York City on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, organized by the Central Labor Union. 10,000 workers marched in the parade up Broadway.

• By 1893 more than half of the states were observing Labor Day and a bill to establish Labor Day as a federal holiday was introduced in Congress.

• On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed into law an act making the first Monday of September Labor Day, a federal holiday.

• Labor Day is the third most popular holiday weekend for barbecuing, after July 4th and Memorial Day.

• Labor Day is the official end to hot dog season. According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, hot dog season begins on Memorial Day and ends on Labor Day.

• According to highway accident stats, Labor Day weekend is the most dangerous weekend to travel on U.S. highways. The reason? Lots of teens and young adults see it as the last weekend to party before heading back to school.

• Labor Day is often referred to as the 'unofficial end of summer'. Officially, summer extends through late September. This year, the first day of fall will be September 23rd.  

• 99.44 percent of the time, the NFL plays its first official season game the Thursday after Labor Day. This year the Green Bay Packers take on the New Orleans Saints

To every American who works for a living, and every American who has been downsized out of working for a living and has been trying for months to find another job:  Happy Labor Day. You've earned it.