Labor Day weekend is upon us! Many consider this the last weekend of summer, and the unofficial start of fall (the official start is September 22nd). There’s plenty of fall activities coming up and delicious fall menus to excite your palate. I’ve seen posts about pumpkin flavored items already creeping into my social media feeds.

history of labor day

Before we go into all the fun activities coming up for this weekend, let’s discuss why we have Labor Day, which became a Federal Holiday in 1894.

Per the Department of Labor’s website, Labor Day is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country. The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom and leadership – the American worker.

events over labor day weekend

If you’re looking for something to do over the long weekend, there’s plenty of special events coming up that will keep you busy and having fun.

Kicking off the holiday weekend on Friday night is the final Boogie on the Blacktop of 2017. The band, Longshot will be performing, there will be plenty of food and beverages plus a 50/50 raffle. Proceeds from this event benefits the Elk’s Lodge.

Saturday is a day for your family, including your dog with the 2nd Annual Miles for Mutts fun run/walk at Hopewell Mound Group (this is the Hopewell site on Sulphur Lick Road). There will also be Bark in the Park, a fun-filled day to benefit the Ross County Humane Society. This event will have food, beverages, car show and a hotdog eating contest. Plus live music and a huge fireworks display to end the event.

This is also the last weekend to witness the 45th season of “Tecumseh!” Outdoor Drama. The production will take place at 8:00pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend to close out the season. If you haven’t had the opportunity to experience this production, you are missing out. These are professional actors portraying historical figures that make you feel you’re seeing a glimpse of the past playing out in front of you.

Labor Day Weekend also brings the annual Easyrider Rodeo to the Ross County Fairgrounds. This event features a bike show, poker crawl, barstool races, a rodeo competition, vendors and live entertainment by The Fryed Brothers Band, Yelawolf, Saving Abel and The Dead Daisies.

outdoor recreation

If you consider this the last weekend of summer, then take advantage of what Ross County has to offer in the great outdoors. There’s five State Parks that offer trails to explore, activities to keep the family entertained, or relax along the beaches. Fire up the grill and spend a day outside while the sun is shining and the temperatures are warm. You can also take the family on a float down Paint Creek or Salt Creek, there’s several liveries for kayaking and canoeing.

 

Beyond Labor Day in September

Looking forward beyond Labor Day, September brings a lot of seasonal and special events. For artists or art enthusiasts, the annual “The Hills” exhibition at the Pump House Center for the Arts takes place. This is a regional art competition from a variety of mediums used.

The Southern Ohio Storytelling Festival will also be taking place this month. It’s new (or return) location this year will be at the Majestic Theatre. This event shouldn’t be confused with story-times. This is nationally acclaimed storytellers who spin-tales to entertain the audience.

Also coming this month is Richmond Dale’s Salt Creek Valley Festival, the ever-popular Murder Mystery Dinner at Adena Mansion & Gardens and the revival of the eerie, walking tour – Ghost Walk – just to name a few events.

Whether you consider Labor Day as the end of summer, there’s plenty of events coming up this month. Come out and support these groups who are planning all these activities that make Chillicothe and Ross County unique and a destination for visitors. Navigate over to our Calendar of Events to get complete details about these events and many more.