Labor Day in Lake County

By: Jonathan Jones 08/26/2016

It’s the day that everyone gets to be lazy all on the same day: Labor Day in Lake County. Time to kick back relax and enjoy some well-deserved time off.

Many of the kids are returning to school, and they’ll get their first taste of what a great day off feels like.

Here's a little bit of history behind Labor Day. The first talk of Labor Day came in 1885 where municipal ordinances were passed to give the day some recognition. The first state to introduce the bill was New York, but Oregon passed it first on February 21, 1887. The emphasis came strong from labor unions. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, most believe Peter J. McGuire of the Brotherhood of Carpenters union was the founder.

To end a Pullman Strike in 1894, President Grover Cleveland made it official and made Labor Day officially everyone's favorite Monday off of the year.

We’re in this rat race spinning and spinning trying to grab that hunk of cheese. Let’s all take a break as we look at this extended weekend and see what's going on for Labor Day in Lake County.

Hawthorn Wood's Concerts in the Park Featuring Gray Rock September 2; 6:30-8 p.m.

Enjoy a sweet summer night with good friends and great music. Summer concerts are free to everyone and are held on Friday evenings at Community Park. Food vendors are on-site for every concert. This concert features classic rock with Gray Rock.

Deezguize at Mickey Finns September 2

Deezguize is a fun, interactive party band that covers everyone's favorites - from The Beatles to Buckcherry. Expect crowd participation with our cowbells, shakers, tambourines, and lots of singing and dancing. Forget about doze guys! Put on your sunglasses and rock the covers with Deezguize!

Marty Stuart & Billy Bob Thorton and the Boxmasters at Ravinia September 2; 7:30 p.m.

Marty Stuart is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for both his traditional style, and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk, and traditional country music. In the early 1990s, he had a successful string of country hits. Along with Billy Bob Thorton and the Boxmasters this should be a great night of music under the stars at Ravinia.

 

First Fridays on MainStreet Libertyville September 2; 6-9 p.m.

Celebrate back to school and have dinner al fresco or inside and walk down Milwaukee Avenue to support the local downtown stores. You will never know what you might find, including good music, special promotional events and even a wine tasting or two.

15th Annual Labor Day Cardboard Boat Races @ Lindy's on Bangs Lake September 3; 9 a.m. registration, Noon race start

Sign up a team today for the 15th Annual Cardboard Boat Race. Register in one of 3 groups, children, adults and businesses for $30 per boat in advance and $40 the day of the race. All boats must be made offsite and brought to the race. Please visit the website to register and for complete instructions and rules.

5K for Labor Day @ Independence Grove September 3; 9 a.m.

Come rain or shine, bring your family, friends, clubs, groups, organizations and walk 3.5 miles with us to help support programs for adults 55 and better. Your support is critical in helping Waukegan Township's Park Place sustain its mission of providing high quality services. Registration begins at 7am. Fee includes t-shirt.

Windy City Dub Fest @ The Lake County Fair September 3; Noon-6 p.m.

The event will include VW and Audi judging contest for categories of “BEST OF”. Winners will take home an award. Car Clubs are welcome and will not be limited to just VW’s and Audi’s and will be open to all makes and models. Come with a car or just as a spectator. Food and drinks will available, along with live entertainment. Visit the website for updates.

Nature Nights: Harvest Hootenanny @ Chicago Botanic Garden September 3; 5-7:30 p.m.

Bring a picnic dinner and spend an evening in the Garden! Children ages 4 to 10 and their families will explore different areas of the Garden and enjoy a variety of discovery-based activities. Each Nature Nights also includes a short tram ride, planting project, and s’mores around the campfire. Nature Nights is held rain or shine. Come celebrate the harvest! Gather fresh ingredients from the garden then use them to prepare a healthy appetizer to enjoy by the campfire. Pot up an edible, cool season plant to take home.

15th Annual Mustang Car Show @ Volo Auto Museum September 3; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Come out for the annual Mustang Car Show at the Volo Auto Museum. Pre-register a car to include in the show for $15 with online form or $20 the day of the show. No car to show then come out and check them out. There will also be live music, food and beer and giveaways all day. Admission includes the museum.

Bonnie Raitt at Ravinia September 3; 7:30 p.m.

Bring the friends out for a great night of music with Bonnie Raitt at Ravinia. Her songs and albums incorporate elements of blues, rock, folk and country. This is her Dig in Deep Tour and should be a concert not to be missed.

O.A.R. at Ravinia September 4; 7 p.m.

O.A.R. is renowned for its intense, vibrant live show, including selling out Madison Square Garden twice and the communal feeling it shares with its fans. With each studio album, the band has endeavored to achieve that sense of immediacy. Bring the friends out for this great concert at Ravinia.

Twilight Shuffle 5K Run in Libertyville September 4; 6 p.m.

Run through the historic neighborhoods of the east side of Libertyville. Professional timing. Families are encouraged (no children under 9) to run. After finishing the course, all participants are invited to join their fellow racers for a fabulous post-race party (including light dinner and non-alcoholic drinks for all registered participants) at the new Mickey Finn's Brewery. No registrations will be accepted or processed after 12pm on race day.

Tempel Lipizzan's Performance September 4; 1 p.m.

Bring the family out for a matinee performance of the Tempel Lipizzans set to classical music. The program follows the Tempel Lipizzans through varying stages of development and training. The cafe is open for meals starting at noon for the Matinee performance. Enjoy watching young foals guided by their mothers as they progress through carriage driving and training, flying horse movements and a four-horse ballet. After the show visit and tour the stables.

Butterflies & Blooms Exhibit @ Chicago Botanic Gardens September 2-5; 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Butterflies & Blooms is a butterfly exhibition where visitors can immerse themselves in a habitat filled with hundreds of live butterflies. This exhibition is filled with species native to South America, Asia, North America, and Africa, as well as those native to Illinois. The 2,800-square-foot white mesh enclosure is located on the lawn of the Learning Campus. Weather permitting.

Carillon Concerts @ Chicago Botanic Garden September 2-5; 7 p.m.

Enjoy an enchanting 45-minute musical performance of carillon bells on a warm summer evening and watch lights illuminate Evening Island. Through a regularly scheduled series of concerts each summer, carillonneurs from around the world delight Garden visitors with the captivating music of the 48-bell Theodore C. Butz Memorial Carillon. Meet the performers and enjoy a free carillon tour and demonstration before the concert and try a hand at ringing the bells.

Bristol Renaissance Faire 2016 September 2-5; 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

It's the last weekend for visitors to take a rollicking romp through Elizabethan England, complete with 16th Century games, rides, arts, crafts, food, music and one-of-a-kind encounters with a spectacular cast of characters. The Faire boasts a beautiful 30-acre site with open-air stages featuring Swordfighters, Minstrels and Jesters. Meet Robin Hood or Queen Elizabeth, in person! All entertainment is included in the price of admission. In addition to the faire please watch for special events, including wine tasting, costume weekend Tea with the Queen. Visit the website for a list of events.

Gurnee Mills Labor Day Super Sale September 2-5

Salute the last weekend of summer with the Labor Day Super Sale at Gurnee Mills. Incredible markdowns and end of the season clearance on summer merchandise at your favorite retailers including Macy*s, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Forever 21, LOFT Outlet, Charming Charlie, Buckle, PINK, Bachrach, Guess Factory Store and more.

Kelly Miller Circus in Waukegan September 2-5; Fri 8 p.m., Sat-Sun 5 p.m., 8 p.m., Mon 2p.m., 5 p.m.

The Kelly Miller Circus has gathered a galaxy of stars from many nations, as well as an exotic display of animals, enhanced them with beautiful theatrical lighting and lively circus music for a performance to warm the hearts of young and old alike.

Labor Day Special at Tilt Studio Sept2-5

Come out for a day of fun at the Eat N Play for Labor Day. All enjoy a large cheese pizza, a pitcher of soda and 4 - $5 Tilt Studio game cards. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.

68th Annual Jubilee Days Festival in Zion September 3; Sat 8 a.m., Sun 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Mon 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

This weekend long festival begins Saturday with the annual 5K run, and in the evening the Miss Zion Pageants followed by an ice cream social. Sunday's entertainment includes the Arts and Crafts Festival, food, live music and fireworks. Monday will include the Mayors Breakfast, and Arts and Crafts Festival, food and the Jubilee Parade at 1pm. The largest Lake County Labor Day parade.

Long Grove's Irish Days September 3-5

A three day long fest that can’t be missed. Long Grove invites the whole family out to enjoy all the best that the Irish culture offers including: live music, dancers, best dressed dog competition each day, traditional Irish food and drink, and activities for the “wee” folk.

Labor Day Special at Six Flags Great America September 3-5

They say all work and no play… on second thought, let’s not even talk about work! This Labor Day we all have the day off, and it’s the perfect time to head to Six Flags Great America, with a full weekend of fun from September 3 through September 5. Visit the website for tickets and for more information.