Before we get to the trip ideas for the Labor Day 2009 weekend, listen to President Obama's Labor Day message.

I was going to wait until mid-August to post this hub, but it seems appropriate on a day when the minimum wage has been raised from $6.55 to $7.25.

Labor Day falls on the first Monday of September, and the first time Labor Day was celebrated was on Sept 5, 1882, in New York City. You'll find all the historical information you want about Labor Day here.

The Labor Day 2009 weekend is almost here (Sept 7, 2009) and since it's the last 3-day weekend you're going to get this summer before school starts, it's time to start making plans to make full use of the weekend.

If you're looking for a real 'Labor Day weekend' experience, then here's your options - Mackinac Island in Michigan, New York City and Washington DC. Because all three, in addition to being excellent holiday and getaway destinations, also have excellent Labor Day events.

Mackinac (or Mackinaw) Island is a place frozen in time, where the horse-drawn carraiges are the accepted mode of transportation, since motorized vehicles are not allowed.

The island is accessible only by ferry or plane, and is populated by 600 residents and 500 horses. But even within the conservative confines of this picture-perfect wonderland, there is a place which, if anything, is even more of a stickler for tradition - The historic and famed Grand Hotel.

The Grand has been welcoming guests since 1887, and things never change here. The 660 ft porch (world's largest hotel porch), the geraniums, the meals and of course - the holiday specials. Holidays like Memorial Day and Labor Day are very big at the Grand.

And another reason to favor Mackinac Island vacations for the Labor Day weekend is the Mackinac Bridge Walk - an annual event held every Labor Day since 1958, where tens of thousands of people walk the entire length of the Mackinac Bridge.

The Bridge Walk is so famed that even former Presidents have been known to join in, and about 50,000 to 60,000 people are led across the bridge on Labor Day by the Michigan Governor. More information here.

 I don't need to tell you about the facilities and tourist attractions in New York, so we'll just focus on the labor day parades.

The biggest Labor Day parade is usually held in Manhattan, on Fifth Ave, organized by the New York City Central Labor Council (NYCCLC). The whole thing is a carnival, with everyone in the Northeast - labor leaders, politicians, community organizers, and individual labor unions organizing their own cadres to join in, and it ends up as a massive parade.

You might also want to attend the West Indian Carnival Parade in Brooklyn, which coincides with Labor Day. The whole thing is actually part of a festival - a celebration of Caribbean culture, food and music, spread out over the weekend and packing in the crowds like you'll never believe.

Labor Day in Washington DC is much more refined. Come Sept 6, one of the star attractions in Washington DC will be the free performance of the National Symphony Orchestra on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

For once in D.C., no tickets or special invitations are needed, it's not a black-tie affair, and anyone can attend and enjoy. Gates open to the public at 3:20 pm, and the concert begins at 8 pm.

In case of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Please call the NSO Summer Concert Hotline at (202) 416-8113 after 2:30 p.m. to find out if the performance has been moved.

1900 Buffalo Labor Day parade - Public domain image from Library of Congress. Mackinac Island photo by freddthompson (creative commons). West Indian Carnival photos by P. Yoruba (creative commons).