Parades are synonymous with Labor Day celebrations.
Independence Day Parade on Independence Mall. Philadelphia
Photo by S. Romones. Courtesy of Visit Philadelphia (visitphilly.com)
FunTimes Magazine Culture + Entertainment Column, Week Of August 26, 2024
“A labor that uplifts humanity has dignity.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.
To observe laborers’ hard work and contributions, the first United States Labor Day celebration was held in New York City in 1882; 10,000 workers participated in a parade organized by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor. This spawned an enduring tradition in small rural towns and big cities like America. In that same vein, the time-honored Labor Day also could be a tribute to event organizers. Designer Ralph Lauren once said: “A lot of work is hidden behind nice things.” So, let’s go out and enjoy the fruits of the hidden labor and love poured into these beautiful events. Here are some engaging low-cost or free festivities focusing on Labor Day Weekend fun, parades, music, and movies. And please don’t forget: When going to an event, take precautions, especially among groups and indoors, with the risk of COVID-19 variants.
A Movie With Local Philly Ties
Friday, August 30, 2024. Movies on the Mall, a monthly film series, kicks off grandly with the screening of “National Treasure” (2004) on the beautiful Independence Mall. The classic Disney flick features local scenes filmed at landmarks like Independence Hall, The Liberty Bell, Reading Terminal Market, City Hall, Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church, and the Franklin Institute. The Visitor Center and the Trust will host family activities. Enjoy historical 18th-century games and refreshments from the Liberty beer garden; participate in a National Treasure-style scavenger hunt and arts and crafts. Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation, the Independence Historical Trust, and the National Park Service will host the festivities. The movies will run through October 18, 2024. Family activities: 5 p.m. EST. Movie: 7:30 p.m. EST. The screenings will be outside the Independence Visitor Center facing 5th Street, between Market and Arch Streets. Bring blankets, chairs, food and drinks. Free, but donations are accepted. Independence National Historical Park, the Independence Visitor Center. 800-537-7676, Pre-register: https://support.inht.org/event/movies-on-the-mall/e607696 orphlvisitorcenter.com.
SING-Along For Movie Night
Friday, August 30, 2024. It cost $75 million to make, but it’s free. Take in the main dish – the movie SING (2016) — with a side order of karaoke and barbeque. The movie is part of Movies on the Block, a neighborhood outdoor summer series. It chronicles the owner of a once-glorious theater and his idea to stage a singing contest to save the fading facility. This flick is for you if you enjoy singing gorillas and pigs and voiceovers by Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey. The Philadelphia Film Society, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, the Stenton Museum, and the Stenton Advisory Council sponsor the movie. Kids are required to be accompanied by an adult. Activities begin at 6 p.m. EST. Stenton Recreation Center, 4600 N. 16th St. 267-239-2941, filmadelphia.org or StentonParkRecCenter@phila.gov.
Darius, Veasley, And All That Jazz!
Saturday, August 31, 2024. American saxophonist-songwriter-producer-performer Eric Darius brings his innovative fusion of Jazz, R&B, hip-hop, funk, and pop to Jazz Under the Stars, The Mann’s music series. Darius has earned five top singles and 17 Top-10 Radio Hits on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart. He has teamed up with GRAMMY® Award-winning artists Prince, Mary J. Blige, David Foster, and Carlos Santana. Darius will join the Gerald Veasley Band. West Philly’s Veasley is the curator of The Jazz Under the Stars series presented by Cadillac. He is a heralded bassist, bandleader, composer, producer, and educator. Single tickets: $45, 8 p.m. EST to 10 p.m. EST., The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave., 215-546-7900 or https://manncenter.org/jazz
Return To School Prayerfully
Saturday, August 31, 2024. Bloom with Prayers: Back-to-School Edition starts the school year on a good note. Join this special Zoom session for children focusing on faith, hope, and community. The goal is to come together for a prayer session to inspire the success and well-being of students and their academic leaders. The event includes a ”Praise and Worship” with uplifting music and a discussion about the power of prayer. The event is hosted by The Power Woman Experience Foundation, a nonprofit that advances the lives of women and families in the Delaware Valley and worldwide. Virtual event, free,10 a.m. EST to 11 a.m. EST. Email: hello@pwefoundation.org, 484-534-8956 orpwefoundation.org.
Labor Day On Tap
Sunday, September 1, 2024. Labor Day is the time to say goodbye to summer. And we have just the place for a season finale: go out with a blast and a beer at Labor Day Mini-Fest at the Wissahickon Brewing Co. in Philly’s East Falls section. Grab an award-winning IPA craft brew at this local family-owned brewery-coffee house-community mecca. Vibe to eight stellar local musical acts – Laurels, the Roosters, Hayley Rose Harrington + Sweet Bread Music, Melody Stolpp, Vincent Michael, The Strange Angels, and Nyxwerk. Chow down at food trucks on tacos, burritos, and dumplings from Taco The Town Kitchen and Humpty’s Dumplings. Drink specials, free entry, 3 p.m. EST to 7 p.m. EST. Wissahickon Brewing Co., 3705 W. School House Ln., E-mail: wissahickonbrewingco@gmail.com, 215-483-8833 orwissahickonbrew.com.
Photo courtesy of UFCW Local 152
A Salute To Workers
Monday, September 2, 2024 (Labor Day). Nearly everyone loves a holiday parade. Get your sunglasses, baseball caps, and beach chairs out, and venture out to the 37th Annual Tri-State Labor Day Parade, presented by the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO. Parade participant UFCW Local 152 is looking for members and their families to march in an old-fashioned parade featuring music, pageantry, and patriotism. Celebrate the accomplishments of the American worker and the Labor Movement. The parade starts at the Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 Hall, 1301 S. Columbus Blvd. & Washington Ave., in South Philadelphia. Free, 8 a.m. E-mail:communications@ufcwlocal152.org, ufcwlocal152.org oract.aflcio.org.
A Look At African Americans In Early
Here’s yet another good reason to visit the treasure trove, which is the African American Museum in Philadelphia. Check out the exhibit Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776 – 1876, presented by PECO. It’s an engaging look into the early life and times of the city’s history. It adeptly recounts the stories of African Americans in Philadelphia following our nation’s founding. Learn about the people, how they lived and worked, their struggles, and the legacy they left behind for generations. American history comes to life through a narrated, interactive timeline chronicling a century highlighting a sequence of images and documents. Dive into entrepreneurship, the environment, education, religion, and family traditions. Check out videos telling the stories of trailblazers and activists from 18th-Century Philadelphia, like Octavius V. Catto, Richard Allen, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. Children, ages 3 to 8, can explore the Children’s Corner, a hands-on installment about the daily lives of kids in Philadelphia during early America, including the Colonial era. A permanent ongoing exhibit. $14 (adults); $10 (kids, ages 4 to 12, students, and seniors). African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St. 215-574-0380 or aampmuseum.org.
