Labor Day weekend in Chicagoland is a well celebrated weekend with plenty to do for the whole Family. If you don’t already have plans, check out the many events and activities you can celebrate to get the most out of this long weekend. Who knows, perhaps you’ll find another new tradition to celebrate along with this cherished American
holiday. Labor Day for many Americans can represents countless things: An extra day off of work, the official end of summer, the official beginning of football season, and so on. It is certainly a holiday in which we all so enjoy, but often forget the origin of. Labor Day actually has a long historical tradition about the labor workers who built our country. According to
History.com, in the late 1800’s at the peak of the
Industrial Revolution, the average American worked upwards of 12 hour days- seven days a week just to make ends meet! Hence, the idea of
Labor Day was evolved from labor unions throughout the country who rallied for better working conditions and an 8-hour workday. That’s something to be truly grateful for! The holiday evolved over time, and finally became a recognized federal holiday in 1894. So, as you prepare for an enjoyable
Labor Day this year, remember the contributions that American workers made to give us this special tradition that allows us to enjoy a long weekend and a splendid day off of work. Now, take a look at what’s happening in and around Chicagoland this patriotic weekend…
1. Navy Pier Fireworks
Talk about a grand finale…
This weekend is the last weekend of 2015 to catch the
Navy Pier Fireworks display! Close out the summer with a bright tradition and check out the fireworks light up over Lake Michigan synchronized with music and all. The show starts on Saturday, September 5th at 10:15pm. Make a day out of it. Grab the family and hop on your nearest Metra or CTA and spend the afternoon along the pier, sightseeing or check out Museum Campus! Don’t forget to get to the dock early for a good spot to watch the display!
2. Naperville’s Last Fling
Featuring music, food & fun!
This isn’t your typical carnival. The Naperville Last Fling is a tradition that’s been celebrated for the past 50 years. Hosted by the
Naperville Jaycees, the festival celebrates Labor Day and supports as many as 100 local businesses. The fling lasts all weekend and is featuring great bands this year. On Friday, September 4th you can catch
Lita Ford,
Jack Russell’s Great White Pirates &
Bad Medicine. Saturday, September 5th American Idol’s,
Daughtry, will play as the headliner and you can also see
Ed Kowalczyk & Matthew Curry. Closing the entertainment on Sunday, September 6th is
Chevelle,
Finger Eleven & Naperville’s own,
Lucky Boys Confusion! And, of course, Labor day isn’t complete without a parade! The annual Naperville Labor Day Parade, also hosted by Naperville Jaycees, starts at 10am on Monday, September 7th. Check out the website
here for more info on the Last Fling.
3. Explore Elmhurst Express
Jump aboard and experience Elmhurst like never before! 
Get an exclusive and exciting tour of the beautiful city of
Elmhurst, Illinois! This FREE trolley service gives locals and tourists an opportunity to discover and explore Elmhurst. The hour long jaunt gives riders an exclusive look at all the shops, restaurants, parks and attractions that Elmhurst offers. Riders can also get a discount card on board saving them 10% at participating shops and restaurants. You can catch this ride all weekend! Explore Elmhurst Express takes off on Fridays (6-11 p.m.), Saturdays (12 noon – 11:30 p.m.) and Sundays (12 noon to 5 p.m.). Check out
elmhurst.org for specific boarding times and more info on this fun little adventure!
4. Nature Nights: Seed Scatter
Bring a picnic dinner and spend an evening in the Garden!
This Saturday, September 5th from 5pm-7:30pm you can join in on this green Glencoe event is certain to become a standing
tradition in Lake County. Held at the
Chicago Botanic Garden, Nature Nights is a perfect time for the family to spend time in nature, soak up the outdoors and learn about the fascinating world of botany. This is a great event for the little ones (ages 4-10), everyone is able to explore different areas of the Garden and participate in a variety of hands-on activities. Each
Nature Nights includes a fun tram ride, planting project, and s’mores around the campfire. As CBG says, “Seeds can’t walk, but they sure can get around! Hitchhiking, exploding, and parachuting are just a few ways that plants spread their seeds. Learn how and why seeds need to scatter, make a seed bomb to scatter seeds, and take home a plant with an interesting dispersal method.” Sounds like a
new tradition may be growing in your future…check out more info on Nature Nights
here.
5. Dunham Woods Horse Show
One of the finest equestrian facilities in the entire Midwest! 
A summer season isn’t complete without a trip to a horseshow, and this one is world renowned, located right here in Chicagoland, and offers so much more than just a horseshow!
Lamplight Equestrian Center features beautiful perennial gardens and thousands of trees. At this time of year, the perennials bloom creating an enchanting environment. Enjoy the horseshow facility’s gorgeous flower-lined walkways, covered ringside pavilions, a ringside café and the Hitching Post Bar. So grab your fancy hats and binoculars and enjoy what’s said to be an event filled with “tradition, & class” at such a lovely facility in our region!
6. Glen Ellyn’s 5th Annual Sounds on the Street
Live concerts taking over Main Street!
Book the sitter or bring the kids. This is a free event held this Friday, September 4th starting at 7pm! Sounds of the Street is a building tradition for this southwest Chicago suburb. You can bring your favorite food and drink onto the street and enjoy the musical entertainment from five of the favorite Glen Ellyn restaurants:
Wooden Barrel,
Santa Fe Mexican Restaurant,
fire + wine,
Blackberry Market,
Shannon’s Irish Pub and
Cab’s Wine Bar Bistro. School of Rock, a children’s band, will perform at 7 p.m. and the featured band will take the stage at 8 p.m. This event is sure to be a hit- and the weather will be perfect! For more information on this event click
here. With all of the events going on around Chicago, you’re certain to make the most out of this long Labor Day weekend. Whatever your plans are, we hope you have an enjoyable, relaxing time filled with traditions and memories to last throughout the year! As for us, we will be continuing to install
Fall & Halloween displays to brighten up houses and businesses all over Chicagoland, of course! You may actually see our red trucks in your neighborhood. Looking for a Fall or Halloween display for your home or business?
Contact us today for a free quote. As you may know, we offer
professional holiday light installation in Chicagoland year round. We have lights, decorations, hay stacks and more to bring a spooky or classic fall swagger to your home or business. And the best part is,
It’s A Wonderful Light handles everything from product, installation, service, takedown and storage- so you can spend your holiday relaxing and enjoying the beautiful display rather than installing it yourself. Take a look at our
Halloween & Fall Decor Blog that features just a few of the many designs and options we can offer you this fall season. Happy Labor Day from all of us at It’s A Wonderful Light!
