August 28, 2013
CHICAGO (Aug. 28)—No matter where you live in Illinois, you and your family can celebrate Labor Day fraternally.
This year, labor unions and other advocates for economic justice have arranged picnics, dinners, parades, rallies and other public celebrations statewide—from Gurnee in Chicago’s north suburbs to DuQuoin deep in Southern Illinois, from Charleston near the state’s eastern border to Quincy on its Mississippi River frontier.
Some events charge admission, while others are free. Some are public, while others are restricted to union members and their families.
“I urge all of our members to attend one of these events and to bring their families with them,” said UTU Illinois Legislative Director Robert W. Guy. “It’s a great way to bond with our brothers and sisters and to pledge ourselves anew to the real legacy of Labor Day, which is not a celebration of work but a celebration of the right of workers to organize.
“As the recent work stoppages in the fast-food industry have demonstrated, the new generation of American workers is beginning to rediscover the potential of collective bargaining in raising wages and providing a safer, more humane workplace,” Guy said.
“After years of pretending that unions were a problem, the nation is discovering that unions are the answer. That’s something to celebrate, and Labor Day 2013 is exactly the right time to do it all over Illinois. Just pick a celebration near you and take the family.”
Guy said he’ll be taking his own advice by marching in Monday’s parade in Galesburg, home of the oldest Labor Day celebration in America.
BELLEVILLE
August 29 – Southwestern Illinois CLC annual Labor Awards Dinner
Location: Panorama Banquet Center, Bel-Air Bowl, 200 S. Belt West, Belleville, IL 62220
Time: Doors open 6:00 p.m. with Dinner at 7:00p.m.
Cost: $25 per person for dinner, Sponsor ad book $75 ½ 4 ½ X 3 ¾ page & $150 Full page 4 ½ X 7 1/2
Contact: Charles Kaemmerer, Jr. at 618-979-4953 or Terry Knoth at 618-233-8441.
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic
Location: Parade is in downtown Belleville, lineup starts in 4th block of South 1st St., and will end at Hough Park with the annual Picnic. Parade & Picnic open to union members and their families ONLY and includes food, beverage and rides and games for kids.
Time: Parade – 8:00 a.m. lineup, 10:00 a.m. start / Picnic – 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Contact: Terry Knoth, 618-233-8441
Special Notice: NO PETS OF ANY KIND ALLOWED AT PARADE OR PICNIC
BLOOMINGTON – NORMAL
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Parade followed by a dinner in Miller Park for union members and their families. Theme is “Hire Local – Buy Local”.
Location: Downtown Bloomington – starting at Front and Madison Streets
Time: Parade – 9 a.m. line up, 10 a.m. start / Lunch – 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Contact: Gary Leake, 309-828-7383
CHAMPAIGN – URBANA
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Parade followed by a Celebration of Labor in the park and softball tournament.
Location: Downtown Urbana
Time: Parade begins at 10 a.m., picnic and tournament immediately following at Prairie Park in Urbana.
Contact: 217-352-5151
CHICAGO
Sept. 1-2 – Annual Labor in the Pulpits is organized by the Chicago Federation of Labor and features union members, shop stewards and elected labor leaders speaking at dozens of different religions services across the Chicagoland area, discussing how labor and religion work hand-in-hand to strengthen families and communities. They will speak at over 100 services that weekend.
Locations: TBA
Times: TBA
Contact: Nick, 312-222-1000
DECATUR
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Parade with the theme of “Work Connects Us All”
Location: Downtown Decatur, line up on South Franklin Street at Wood Street
Time: 8 a.m. lineup, 10 a.m. start
Contact: Marty Hunter, 217-972-0768
Sept. 2 – Picnic In The Park
Location: Fairview Park in Decatur, IL
Time: Immediately following parade until – 4 p.m.
Comment: This is the first-ever combined picnic of all labor unions in Macon County, expecting about 1,000 participants. Free to union sponsors, $10 for general public.
Contact: Carl Draper, 217-791-1279
GURNEE
October 17 – Northeastern Illinois Federation of Labor 18th Annual Person of the Year event. Honoring Ronald D. McInroy, UAW Region 4 Director.
Location: Lake County Federation of Teachers building, 248 Ambrogio Drive, Gurnee.
Contact: Patrick Statter, 847-604-1260
GALESBURG
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic
Location: Parade goes down Main Street; Picnic at Lake Storey Park immediately following parade.
Time: 10:00 AM
Contact: Randy Bryan, 309-696-7649
Comment: This is the longest continuously running Labor Day Parade in America celebrating its 122nd year!
MADISON COUNTY
Alton
Aug. 21st & 25th – James Stanley Charity Softball game
Contact: Dean Webb, 618-259-8558
Aug. 24 – Labor Celebration Parade and Picnic- kids games
Location: Parade lineup begins at 8:00 a.m. in the “pit” of the Alton Jr. High School.
Time: Parade starts at 10 a.m. / Picnic – Immediately following parade at Gordon Moore Park, Alton, IL on Highway 140.
Contact: Dean Webb, 618-259-8558
Granite City
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Parade and Picnic – music and kids games
Location: Parade lineup begins at 9:00 a.m. in downtown Granite City on State Street between Niedringhaus & 18th Streets and will go to Wilson Park for picnic
Time: Parade starts at 10:00 a.m.
Contact: Dean Webb, 618-259-8558
CHARLESTON
Aug. 24 – Mid-Eastern Illinois CLC Labor Picnic, with food, drinks, and live music.
Location: Fox Ridge State Park, brick pavilion, (8 miles south of Charleston on Rt. 130).
Time: Noon until 4:00 p.m.
Contact: Charles Delman, 217-348-7786 or Dan Kimball, 217-234-4609
PEORIA
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Parade with a theme of “EMPLOYING LOCAL WORKERS = LOCAL PROSPERITY”
Location: Parade – Downtown Peoria – Free Bus Rides Provided by ATU from the Riverfront to downtown Peoria for the parade. Labor Day Party – on the Riverfront at parade’s end
Time: Parade starts at 10 a.m.
Contact: Michael Everett, 309-645-4901
QUAD CITIES
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Parade
Location: East Moline
Time: Lineup at 9 a.m. at John Deere Harvester Works parking lot at 1100 13th Avenue in East Moline.
Parade starts at 11:00 a.m. and proceeds along 15th Avenue.
Contact: Josh Schipp, 309-738-6536
QUINCY
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Picnic – food, games, music, door prizes – free to all union members and their families. Expect 800 to 1,000 people.
Location: Machinists Lodge 822, 2929 North 5th Street, Quincy
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., dinner from 12 Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Contact: Western Trades & Labor Assembly President Ross Miller at 314-739-6200
Special Request: Each family is asked to bring 1 or more non-perishable food items for charity when attending the picnic.
ROCKFORD
August 24 – Pageant in the categories of Princess, Young Miss, Miss and Mrs. Winners will be crowned immediately following the Labor Day Parade on the main stage.
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Parade with the theme of “Rockford, Unions, Democracy, America.”
Time: 10:00 a.m., lineup at 9:00 a.m. in downtown Rockford
Special Note: A float contest for the unions will be held at 7:30 a.m. and winners will be announced and ribbons placed on the floats prior to the start of the parade.
Contact: Trisha Welte, 815-986-4822, trisha@unitedwayrrv.org
Sept. 2 – We Are One Picnic – This is an all-union picnic immediately following the parade at Davis Park in downtown Rockford. The picnic will go until 3:00 p.m. Meal tickets are $5 in advance (or $7 at the gate) and beer tickets are $2.50 in advance (or $4 at the gate). This is a family-friendly event with free games and activities for kids!
SPRINGFIELD
Sept. 2– Labor Day Parade
Location: Downtown Springfield – Jefferson Street to 5th, 5th to Capitol, Capitol to 6th, 6th to Washington
Time: 9 a.m. line-up, 10 a.m. start
Contact: Terry Reed, 217-523-3722
STREATOR
Sunday, Sept. 1 – Labor Day Parade
Location: Line up at Sante Fe Depot on Illinois Street at 10 am
Time: Parade starting at Noon
Contact: Streator Chamber of Commerce, sacci@mchsi.com, 815-672-2921
Registration Deadline: August 29, 2013
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
DuQuoin – Illinois State Fair – Aug. 23 – Sept. 2
Aug. 23 – Sept. 2 – Labor Pavilion Open each day on the Fair Grounds – The Egyptian Building Trades
Sept. 2 – Labor Day Celebration at the Fair – free Barbeque picnic, and music for union members and their families. Starting at 11 a.m.
Location: DuQuoin State Fair Grounds – just off Route 51 south side of DuQuoin, IL
Contact: 618-932-2102
