Labor Day 2026 – Illinois Labor Sponsored Events
ILLINOIS STATE FAIR
Aug. 13-23 – Illinois AFL-CIO Labor Pavilion Exhibition
Location: Illinois AFL-CIO Labor Pavilion on the southeast side of the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The Illinois AFL-CIO is encouraging local unions, building trades councils and central labor councils to “Adopt a Day” to staff the labor pavilion and showcase your organization to thousands of people. Organizations that Adopt a Day will be provided with a block of entrance tickets and parking passes for its volunteers and will have the opportunity to distribute information while meeting the public and spreading the word about the importance of labor unions. Local unions will provide giveaways to promote union-made products – such as pens, pencils, rulers, color books, fly swatters, cups, stickers, magnets, etc. We expect between 500-1,000 people each day.
Time: The pavilion will be open from 10am to 5pm daily
Contact: Amy Rueff, 217-492-2633 or [email protected]
ALTON
Aug. 26 & 29 – James Stanley Charity Softball Tournament
Location: Gordon Moore Park, Alton, IL on hwy. 140.
Contact: B. Dean Webb, 618-259-8558
Aug. 29 – Labor Celebration Parade & Picnic – kids games, food and refreshments
Location: Parade starts at Wood River Round House Parking Lot. Parade Steps Off at 10 a.m. sharp and will continue South on Wood River Ave., East on Ferguson Ave., North on 6th Street and will end at Emerick Sports Complex at 1001 N. 6th Street, Wood River, IL
Picnic for Union Members and their family –following parade at Gordon Moore Park, Alton, IL on hwy. 140. (Wrist Bands are required to attend Picnic, see your local union)
Time: Parade lineup begins at 8:00 a.m. & starts at 10 a.m. / Picnic starts after parade completion.
Contact: B. Dean Webb, 618-259-8558 or Nick Dodson, 618 363-1384
BELLEVILLE
Sept. 3– Southwestern Illinois CLC 58th annual Labor Awards Dinner
Location: Banquet Center (downstairs), Bel-Air Bowl, 200 S. Belt West, Belleville, IL 62220
Time: Doors open 6:00pm with Dinner at 7:00pm.
Cost: $35 per person ($240 table of eight) in advance or $40 at the door, Reservation deadline is August 24,2026.
Sponsor ad book $75 or $150. Ad book deadline August 14, 2026.
Contact: Charles Kaemmerer, Jr. at 618-979-4953 or Scot Luchtefeld at 618-340-8300.
Sept. 7– Labor Day Parade & Picnic
Location: Parade is in downtown Belleville, lineup starts in 4th block of South 1st St.. Parade Marshal is longtime County Clerk Thomas Holbrook with New Clerk Candidate Laura Kaemmerer. The parade will end at Hough Park with the annual Picnic. Parade & Picnic open to Union Members and their families along with invited political guests. Food, beverages available, and inflatable games for kids with arm bands that can be purchased at the park.
Time: Parade – vehicle lineup 8:00 a.m.; marcher’s lineup 9:00 a.m.; Promptly starts at 10:00 a.m. / Picnic ends by 3:00 p.m. Contact: Scot Luchtefeld, 618-340-8300. Special Notice: NO PETS OF ANY KIND ALLOWED AT PARADE OR PICNIC.
BLOOMINGTON – NORMAL
Sept. 7 – Labor Day Parade followed by a lunch in Miller Park for union members and their families.
Theme: “Solidarity for the next 250”
Location: Downtown Bloomington – starting at Front and Center Streets
Time: Parade – 9 a.m. line up, 10 a.m. start / Lunch – 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. $6 box lunch
Contact: For questions or an application contact [email protected] or call 309-208-1120
CHAMPAIGN – URBANA
Sept. 7 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic
Location: Downtown Champaign – starting at corner of Chestnut St. and Main St to Walnut St to Neil St. to Washington St.
Time: Parade staging begins at 10:00 a.m. and begins at 11 a.m. A picnic will immediately follow downtown (Neil Street Plaza) in Champaign.
Contact: David Beck at 217-721-5344
CHICAGO
Sept. 4 – Sept. 6 –Labor in the Pulpit/on the Bimah/in the Minbar, Labor Day Weekend, September 4 – September 6, at multiple locations. The CFL and ARISE Chicago seek volunteer speakers for the annual Labor in the Pulpits/on the Bimah/in the Minbar program, in which union members attend religious services across Greater Chicago to discuss the shared values between faith and labor during Labor Day weekend. Sign up here if you would like to participate.
Sept. 6 – Chicago Labor Day Parade and Eddie Fest on Saturday, September 5, beginning at approximately 9:00 a.m. Volunteer at this year’s Chicago Labor Day Parade and Eddie Fest and help the CFL provide a fun and safe event celebrating the Chicago Labor Movement. This year’s event returns to Chicago’s 10th ward, with the parade stepping off 3869 E 112th Street at noon. Eddie Fest will be held in Steelworkers Park. Various volunteer roles are available, including parade marshals, staging liaisons, and check-in assistance. All volunteers will receive a T-shirt and breakfast, and students are eligible for community work credits for this event. Sign up here if you would like to volunteer.
Sept. 10 – All Faiths Memorial Mass. Chicago Cook County Building Trades Unions will hold their all faiths memorial mass on the Thursday after Labor Day, September 10, at 10 am at Old St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Desplaines and Adams, Chicago
DANVILLE
Sept.7 – Labor Day Parade
Location: Downtown Danville Time: 7:30 a.m. lineup, 9:00 a.m. start.
Parade lineup will be at the Hope Unlimited Church parking lot and along Walnut Street. The parade route will travel south on Vermilion street, beginning at William street and ending at Towne Center. Parade is open to organizations, labor groups, businesses and community members.
Contact: Rheanna Pierce at 217-431-2879 or [email protected]
DECATUR
Sept. 7 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic
Location: Downtown Decatur, line up on South Franklin Street at Wood Street
Time: 8:30 a.m. lineup, 10 a.m. start; Theme: “It’s Better in a Union”;
Parade Contact: John Warner, 217-855-2839; There will be a picnic at Fairview Park immediately following the parade until 2 PM. This is the 13th annual combined picnic of all labor unions in Macon County, expecting about 3,000 participants. Food, refreshments, treats, raffles & kid games. Free to union sponsors, $25 for general public.
Picnic Contact: Lloyd Holman, 217-620-4923
GALESBURG
Sept. 7 – Labor Day Parade – Join us for the parade with Grand Marshal Bob Guy, SMART-TD
Location: Downtown Galesburg, IL – Main Street
Time: 10 a.m. start
Contact: Galesburg Trades & Labor Assembly President Randall Bryan, 309-335-0907
GRANITE CITY
Sept. 7 – Labor Day Parade and Picnic – Music, food and refreshments
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 for Union Members and their family
Time: Parade starts at 10:00 a.m.
Contact: B. Dean Webb, 618-259-8558 or Mike Fultz 618-931-7212, cell 618-409-4314
WEST PEORIA
Sep. 7th – Labor Day Parade
Location: The 2026 Labor Day Parade begins at 11:00 am, and participants will line up at Bradley Park and will march down Farmington Road to Rabers for a family-friendly event featuring games, food, and more. Friends, family, and pets are invited to join.
Time: Parade starts at 11 a.m. with parade lineup at 9:30 a.m.
Contact: Jimmy Dillon 309-674-9243 or Nancy Gardner 309-635-7308
QUAD CITIES
Sep. 7 – Labor Day Parade
Location: East Moline, IL – lineup at John Deere Harvester Works parking lot, 1100 13th Avenue
Time: Lineup at 9 a.m. at John Deere Harvester Works parking lot at 1100 13th Ave. in East Moline; parade starts at 11 a.m. and proceeds along 15th Avenue.
Contact: Dan Gosa, 309-788-1303 or [email protected]
ROCKFORD
Sept. 7 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic
Location: Parade lineup 7th street between 4th Avenue and 6th Avenue Rockford, IL
Time: Parade lineup at 8:30am and begins at 10am.
Contact: Rockford Labor Day Parade Committee Chair Alice Sutherland, 815-520-4576 or [email protected]
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Aug. 28 through Sept 7 – Duquoin Illinois State Fair
Aug. 22 – Sep. 7: Labor Pavilion open each day of the fair and sponsored by The Egyptian Building Trades. Twilight Parade is August 25 at 6 PM for all union members wishing to show support by walking with the Union floats. Labor Day Picnic is September 7 at the Duquoin State Fairgrounds for all union members and their families – Doors open at 11 AM.
SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS
Sept. 5 – Labor Day Weekend Picnic
The Springfield & Central Illinois Trades & Labor Council will be hosting a family picnic on Labor Day weekend. It will be held on Saturday, September 5th at Chatham Community Park in Chatham, IL from Noon until 3:00 pm. It will feature food, refreshments, kid games and musical entertainment free to all.
