Picnics and parades abound

By Laura Hipshire
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Labor Day—to some it signifies the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Still others view it as a welcome reprieve from work. Postal workers don’t deliver mail that day, and many families across the U.S. celebrate it with barbecues and picnics.

But what does Labor Day really mean, especially in Michigan?

Officially, Labor Day is a U.S. federal holiday that takes place on the first Monday in September. The holiday began in 1882, originating from a desire by the Central Labor Union to create a day off for the “working man.”

Michigan is traditionally viewed as a “blue collar state,” thus steeped in any traditions having to do with the working population.

Work reprieve
Bob Phelps, who moved to Henry Ford Village from Beverly Hills, says Labor Day is a day when “we just quit laboring.” Phelps says, in his opinion, Labor Day has lost its meaning. “For most people, it’s just another opportunity to have a parade,” he says.

Fellow community member Bob Cosey, who moved from Detroit, says he and his wife Mary enjoy visiting family members for get-togethers on Labor Day.

Like Phelps, Cosey agrees that Labor Day isn’t what it used to be, especially for today’s younger generation. “A lot of blue collar jobs are disappearing,” he says, explaining why a lot of people don’t give much credence to Labor Day.

Walk the Mackinac Bridge
Some traditions remain, like the Mackinac Bridge Walk. Held annually since 1958, people have walked the five-mile length of the Mackinac Bridge. Usually, pedestrians are prohibited on the bridge, but the Labor Day event is the sole exception to the rule.

Upon reaching Mackinaw City, walkers are awarded numbered “Certificates of Completion.” The governor—currently the honorable Jennifer M. Granholm—leads walkers across the bridge, and at the end, school buses shuttle walkers back to their cars.