Everyone setting sights on St. Louis-area Labor Day parades, fun

There are great Labor Day festivities in the works in Missouri and Southern Illinois

By ED FINKELSTEIN

Publisher

With the theme “Together We Win” planning for the gala St. Louis parade is now underway with a request for full union participation and for all unions planning on marching to notify the council by Friday, July 14.

Parade lineup positions will be drawn at the council’s July 18 delegate meeting.

Application forms have been mailed to all locals. If several unions will be marching together, that must be indicated on the parade application.

Participating unions are asked to provide a minimum of four parade marshals, with names and contact information to be submitted to the council by Aug. 1. A marshal’s information and training program is scheduled for Aug. 15 at 5:30 p.m., prior to the August council delegate meeting at the IBEW Local 1 hall, 5850 Elizabeth Ave. Dinner will be provided.

Once the parade lineup is settled, a detailed lineup map will be provided to all participants.

Unions are reminded that throwing candy from vehicles is not allowed because of the potential hazard of young children running out in the street among the vehicles. Unions are asked to provide “walkers” who can distribute candy to excited children.

Forms for parade registration and marshal’s names are available at the Labor Council offices, 3301 Hollenberg Drive, Bridgeton or can be emailed to you; please contact Christine Brame at 314-291-8666 or email: cbrame@stlclc.org.

The parade will kickoff at 9 a.m. at 15th and Market, east to Tucker, south to Market, west of Market to end at Union Station.

A number of unions will have BBQs for members after the parade. Details will follow.

ILLINOIS

Labor Day events in the Metro-East this year will begin Aug. 23 with a softball tournament and finish off with two parades on Labor Day, Sept. 4 and an initial parade on Aug. 26 in Alton.

The annual James Stanley Memorial Charity Labor Day Softball Tournament, sponsored by the Greater Madison County Federation of Labor, will be played on Wednesday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 26 at Gordon F. Moore Community Park, Alton.

All affiliated and non-affiliated unions in the St. Louis region and Metro East are invited to place teams in the tournament.

The cost per team is $150, and proceeds will go to the charity group chosen by the winning team.

The $150 fee to the Federation is due before the captains’ meeting at 6 p.m., Aug. 16 at the Machinists Center, 161 N. Shamrock St., East Alton IL. All teams are asked to send someone to that meeting for rules and bracket selection.

Picnic donations will also be accepted. Please provide the union name, coach or contact name, address and phone number. For questions, call Federation President B. Dean Webb at (618) 259-8558.   

FIRST PARADE: AUG. 26

Alton Labor Day Parade will be on Aug. 26 stepping off at 10 a.m. from the old Alton High School Pit Area on College Avenue and proceed eastward on a route through the city and returning. The parade will be followed by a picnic at Gordon Moore Community Park with live music, kids’ games and balloon artists, plus free food and drink.

ON LABOR DAY: 2 PARADES

Granite City and Belleville annual parades will be on Labor Day, Sept. 4.

• Granite City The Federation will sponsor the 37^th Annual Granite City Labor Day Parade, beginning at 10 a.m. downtown and proceeding one mile north to Wilson Park for a picnic with live music, speeches, food, refreshments and kids’ activities.

• Belleville The Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council will sponsor the Labor Day Parade in Belleville, stepping off at 10 a.m. at Hough Park along 3^rd Street and returning there for the annual picnic, where the first $500 worth of rides will be free. Music, drinks and food all will be provided. For more information, contact Bill Thurston at (618) 758-3513.