When is Labor Day? History of the holiday, what offices are closed and what's there to do

Labor Day weekend usually means the last hurrah before the end of summer and the beginning of school. But the reasons for the observance started with labor activists and unions calling for a national holiday in honor of American workers.

When is Labor Day 2024?

Labor Day is observed on the first Monday in September. This year it will be Monday, Sept. 2, a federal and state holiday. Most government offices are closed including in counties, cities and towns.

Will trash be collected on Labor Day?

Trash collection in most areas will be delayed a day this week with no collection on Labor Day, but check with your trash collector for details in your area.

Will there be mail delivery on Labor Day?

No. Post offices are closed and there won’t be regular mail delivery on Monday, Sept. 2. For a list of the U.S. Postal Service holidays, see the USPS website.

Are banks closed on Labor Day?

Most banks are closed on Monday, Sept. 2 which is a federal bank holiday when the Federal Reserve System, which regulates banks, is closed. While banks aren’t required to close on Federal Reserve holidays, most do. Transactions made on Federal Reserve holidays won’t be processed until the next business day, according to bankrate.com.

Does school start the day after Labor Day?

Starting dates for schools vary across Delaware, with some opening at the end of August and others waiting until after Labor Day. Some districts have orientation days for certain grades such as kindergarten and ninth grade before Labor Day and then all grades are in session after the holiday.

The Delaware Department of Education website has a list of starting days for all public school districts, but for the most specific information, check with your school district.

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How did the Labor Day holiday start?

In the late 1800s, “labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity and well-being,” according to the U.S. Department of Labor website.

Before it was a federal law, a day to recognize the contributions of workers was observed by labor groups and some states. The first state to pass a law in honor of Labor Day was Oregon on Feb. 21, 1887.

“By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday,” the Department of Labor reported.

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Two men have been credited with starting the movement for a national Labor Day as early as 1882, the Department of Labor said.

One is Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor.

The other is Matthew Maguire, when he was secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York and later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, New Jersey.

Both Maguire and McGuire attended the country’s first Labor Day parade in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882.

That morning, a crowd of spectators filled the sidewalks of lower Manhattan near city hall and along Broadway.

By 10 a.m., the parade's grand marshal, William McCabe, his aides and their police escort were ready to start the event, but no bands had arrived to provide music and a drumbeat to march to.

A short time later, 200 marchers from the Jewelers Union of Newark 2 arrived with a band. When the group turned onto Broadway, they were playing "When I First Put This Uniform On" from “Patience,” an opera by Gilbert and Sullivan. McCabe and his aides followed the band and then workers and spectators joined, with estimates of more than 10,000 participating in the parade through lower Manhattan.

The New York Tribune reported: “The windows and roofs and even the lamp posts and awning frames were occupied by persons anxious to get a good view of the first parade in New York of workingmen of all trades united in one organization.”

The parade ended at Reservoir Park.

“While some returned to work, most continued on to the post-parade party at Wendel's Elm Park at 92nd Street and Ninth Avenue; even some unions that had not participated in the parade showed up to join in the post-parade festivities,” the Department of Labor said, with a crowd estimated at nearly 25,000.

Labor Day weekend celebrations in Delaware

In the First State, the biggest Labor Day-related celebrations are usually at the beaches with a flood of residents and tourists visiting for the three-day holiday. Lots of families and groups hold picnics and get-togethers during the weekend, while many businesses try to lure shoppers with Labor Day sales.

Here are a few examples of the festivals and concerts in Delaware during the weekend:

• Arden Fair and Antiques Market Saturday, Aug. 31 in Arden, near Claymont, with crafts, vendors, an art exhibit, live music, food, refreshments, children’s games and rides

• Hickory Ridge Farm Show near Milford Friday, Aug. 30 through Sunday, Sept. 1 with tractors, farm machines and engines, food, crafts, a flea market music and pro wrestling

• Bethany Beach bandstand concerts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31 with Jesse Garron’s Tribute to Elvis and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1 with Jimmy Buffet tribute band Parrotbeach

Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: When is Labor Day 2024 and what offices are open/closed?