Summer is swiftly coming to an end, and Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to bid the season farewell. The holiday, which dates back to the 19th century, is celebrated annually on the first Monday in September, and symbolically represents the end of summer. This year, it takes place on September 7.
Labor Day recognizes the ongoing work of the American labor movement, which seeks to improve workers’ lives. Individual states began legally recognizing it in the late 1800s, and it was officially declared a federal holiday (allowing federal workers a day off) in 1894.
At some Labor Day weekend events throughout Wisconsin, the holiday’s roots, as well as the labor movement’s current struggles, are highlighted, while others offer opportunities to relax and enjoy the last bits of summer. However you feel like celebrating Labor Day, there are plenty of free events you can attend in Wisconsin.
1. Laborfest
Where: Henry Maier Festival Park, 200 North Harbor Drive, Milwaukee
When: Sept. 7, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Many events over Labor Day weekend take advantage of the extra day off, but few celebrate the historical background of the holiday. Laborfest, an annual event held at Henry Maier Festival Park in Milwaukee, celebrates the history of Labor Day and acknowledges the ongoing work that unions and labor organizations are undertaking to improve the working conditions for people across the country.
The family-friendly event is free to attend and features live music, children’s entertainment, a classic car show, wrestling, and a parade, which kicks off at Zeidler Union Square Park and travels to the festival grounds where Laborfest is held. The event is organized by local labor unions and members of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council.
2. Prentice Progress Days
Where: Throughout Prentice
When: Sept. 4-7
Prentice may be a small north Wisconsin village, with a population of 563, but it has plenty of local pride. The tight-knit community celebrates itself and its heritage every Labor Day weekend as part of Prentice Progress Days. The annual festival takes place over four days and features events happening all throughout the Village of Prentice.
While most festivals take place in one setting, Prentice Progress Days has activities happening all over the place, from the Northwoods Truck Show at Makovsky Brush Service to country singer Hailey James performing at the Prentice Fire Department and a children’s fishing event at Buccaneer Pond. The event culminates on Labor Day with the Leo Heikkinen Memorial Golf Tournament at Prentice Pines Golf Course, a three-person scramble with cash prizes for the top teams and prize contests at most of the holes along the course.
3. Oak Creek Lionsfest
Where: American Legion Post 434, 9327 South Shepard Ave., Oak Creek
When: Sept. 4-7
Every Labor Day weekend, the Oak Creek Lions Club hosts Oak Creek Lionsfest, a weekend-long free festival with three stages of live entertainment, food specials, children’s entertainment like face painting and carnival rides, and a car show.
The festival dates back seven decades; the Oak Creek Lions Club held the first Lionsfest in the early 1960s, and it consisted of a portable grill, some beer, pony rides, and entertainment in the form os guessing the weight of a pig. It’s safe to say that Lionsfest has grown a lot over the decades, and now serves as the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Lions Club.
4. Corn on the Curb Days
Where: Downtown Balsam Lake
When: Sept. 4-6
The best time to harvest corn is typically in the late summer or very early fall, making Labor Day weekend an excellent opportunity to indulge in the vegetable, especially in Balsam Lake. Each year the village, located in northwestern Wisconsin, celebrates Corn on the Curb Days, a weekend-long festival with entertainment and plenty of corn on the cob.
Corn on the Curb Days is held for three days over the long weekend and takes over downtown Balsam Lake with a carnival, car show, and craft fair, as well as additional events at local businesses throughout the duration of the festival, like live music at the Balsam Lake Brewery and a wrestling event presented by the brewery and ice cream shop KJ’s New North.
5. Labor Day Arts and Crafts Show
Where: Downtown Eagle River, 201 East Wall St., Eagle River
When: Sept. 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Eagle River, a city in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, can be considered a hub of creativity, and the artistic flair of its residents is on full display a few times during the year, as the city hosts craft shows on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.
This year, the Labor Day Arts and Crafts Show takes place on Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. throughout downtown Eagle River.
The arts and crafts show will highlight work made by local artisans and craftspeople, which will be available for sale. The event isn’t just about arts and crafts, though. It will also feature a sidewalk sale through downtown Eagle River, live entertainment, and plenty of food.
6. Fox Valley Labor Day Parade and Laborfest
Where: Fox Valley Area Labor Council, 157 South Green Bay Road, Neenah
When: Sept. 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
For more than four decades, the Fox Valley Area Labor Council has been recognizing Labor Day with an annual festival: Laborfest. The event features a parade, which starts at 10 a.m. and travels through neighboring Menasha and Neenah. The parade kicks off at Curtis Reed Square in Menasha and crosses over Doty Island before making its way through downtown Neenah.
The parade leads to Laborfest, which runs from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and features live music from The Time Machine Band, games, raffles, children’s activities, as well as food and a beverage tent. The event, which is celebrating its 43rd anniversary this year, is free to attend.
7. John Lewis Labor Day Cookout and Fair
Where: Olin Park Pavilion, 1156 Olin-Turville Court, Madison
When: Sept. 7, 12-4 p.m.
Congressman John Lewis was a civil rights activist who served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th Congressional District from 1987 until his death in 2020. Throughout his tenure as a public figure, Lewis, who was arrested numerous times as an activist during the Civil Rights Movement, encouraged Americans to get into “good trouble” and “necessary trouble.” The EX-incarcerated People Organizing (EXPO) group in Madison continues this legacy at the John Lewis Labor Day Cookout and Fair, an annual event that calls for civic engagement and utilizing the power of community.
The free event was originally scheduled for July but was postponed because of poor air quality. Now, it will be held at Madison’s Olin Park Pavilion on Labor Day, with catered food from Famous Dave’s.
8. Riverfront Jazz Festival
Where: Pfiffner Pioneer Park Bandshell, 1100 Crosby Ave., Stevens Point
When: Sept. 5-6, 2-7:30 p.m.
For live music fans, there’s no time like the summer. With an abundance of music festivals to choose from, especially in Wisconsin, and many free concert series held throughout the state, summertime is always a great time to catch live music, which makes it kind of sad to see the seasons change. Stevens Point closes the season out in a great way: with the Riverfront Jazz Festival.
The festival has been a Labor Day weekend highlight in the city since 2003, and will feature six different performances this year. Riverfront Jazz Festival, which is held over two days at Pfiffner Pioneer Park’s bandshell, also serves as a fundraiser for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s jazz program scholarships. Over the past two decades, the free festival has helped to raise more than $57,000 for jazz scholarships at the university.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
