The Springfield Central Labor Council Annual Labor Day Parade will return for the first time in two years. On August 27, starting at 10 AM on Grand Street by Missouri State University, the parade will make its way to Fassnight Park, where attendees can enjoy a picnic and car show. The activities will include live music and speakers. This event is open to the public and attendees are encouraged to stay after the parade to enjoy the activities.

Dating back to 1905, one of the first documented Labor Day Parades in the Ozarks, this event holds great meaning to organized labor groups in the Ozarks and across the United States. In 2020 and 2021, Labor Day festivities were canceled due to COVID-19 health concerns.

The United Way and organized labor partnership goes back to World War II, when the two entities sought to rebuild the nation. The United Way and the AFL-CIO worked together to coordinate volunteer events to provide service and support to the community.

“Labor Day isn’t just a day off for us, it serves as a remembrance to the generations before that paved the way for the rights we have today as workers. They helped lay the foundation for employer-provided health care, secure retirement, and a 40-hour work week”, states Justin McCarty, President of the Springfield Central Labor Council. “It is now our turn to pick up the torch and carry it for our kids. We must protect the rights of workers by standing collectively to ensure a more just future. The Labor Day Parade and Picnic helps recognize the firefighters, truck drivers, HVAC techs, roofers, electricians, and plumbers in our communities that help keep us safe, fed, dry in a storm, warm or cool, power our devices or provide the water to your home. These people...these are the people that work for a better tomorrow in our community”.

Union members represent skilled workers from across all industries, including both public and private sectors.

For more information, contact Justin McCarty, Springfield CLC President at gfclc@gmail.com or Liz Wertz, United Way of the Ozarks AFL-CIO Community Services Liaison at 417-863-7700.