Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, and families want to plan a weekend of fun before school starts and Temperatures are officially falling.

Because Labor Day provides additional time off from work and school, most families can also travel, eliminating long lines and high costs.

Here you can find out everything you need to know about the national holiday and some tips for celebrating:

What is Labor Day?

In short, Labor Day is a federal holiday honoring the American worker.

This year we mark the 130th anniversary of the holiday, which dates back to the late 19th century, when activists first tried to establish a day to honor workers.

The first Labor Day celebration in the United States took place on September 5, 1882, in New York City, when about 10,000 workers participated in a parade organized by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor.

The quality of life of workers worsened as they moved from craft to factory, while the quality of life of factory owners “just skyrocketed,” Todd Vachon, an assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, told the Associated Press.

At that time, unions were widely controversial in the United States and courts often declared strikes illegal, which led to violent confrontations. It was not until the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 that private sector workers were given the right to join unions.

When is Labor Day?

Labor Day is always celebrated on the first Monday in September.

This year it falls on September 2, 2024.

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Labor Day Ideas

Labor Day is considered a “day of rest” for workers, but it also marks the unofficial end of summer. Friends and families usually engage in their usual summer activities on this holiday.

Popular Labor Day plans include:

• Grilling
• Hanging out by the pool
• Go to the beach
• Go to an amusement park
• Parades
• Festival
• Travel somewhere over the long weekend
• Shopping in the sale

Labor Day Special Offers

Many retailers are offering Labor Day specials that are already appearing in stores and online.

If you’re looking for expensive household items, Labor Day may be the right time to buy.

“Long holiday weekends like Labor Day are a good opportunity to buy high-priced items like mattresses and furniture. … Retailers that sell these items want to maximize their sales and know that shoppers are more likely to browse and purchase when a deal is available.” Shopping expert Andrea Woroch told Yahoo Life.

Outdoor items usually have big discounts, and stores also need to get rid of their seasonal inventory.

Traveling for Labor Day

If you travel on Labor Day weekend, you should expect a lot of visitors.

Airports, highways, beaches and theme parks are expected to be crowded over the long holiday weekend.

Here are some tips for anyone traveling this weekend:

When is the best time to depart?

If you plan to start your trip on the Thursday or Friday before Labor Day, you’ll be sharing the road with commuters. To avoid traffic jams, set off before the morning rush hour or even in the evening.

According to traffic data provider INRIX, the worst time to drive is on Thursday between 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and on Friday between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. On Saturday, it’s the other way around: you’d better not drive between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.

According to INRIX, the return flight will be a laborious process for most of Monday – from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

When are airports busiest?

The Transportation Security Administration expects to check more than 17 million people between Thursday and next Wednesday – a record for the Labor Day period.

According to the Associated Press, the TSA expects Friday to be the busiest day.