Labor Day Parade returns to Pittsburgh in September

Pittsburgh’s annual Labor Day Parade is returning this year after it was cancelled in 2020 because of the covid-19 pandemic.

The Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council has announced the parade is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 6, starting at 10 a.m.

Pittsburgh’s Labor Day Parade is one of the largest and oldest in America, according to the Labor Council.

It has frequently featured special guests, including Joe Biden before he was elected president.

“One year ago this week, we announced that Pittsburgh‘s Labor Day Parade was cancelled for the first time in history,” said Labor Council President Darrin Kelly. “It was the right choice, and the only choice, because our sole priority during the pandemic was to keep our workers and our communities safe.”

But now with more people having been vaccinated in the Pittsburgh area, Kelly indicated he had no hesitation about bringing the parade back this year.

“We promised we would be back. One year later, we are back, stronger than ever,” he said. “And we can’t wait to be back in the streets of Pittsburgh, celebrating our history and the heroic work that so many of our people have done to help us get through this public health and economic crisis.”

When last year’s parade was cancelled, Kelly announced that the Labor Council would instead hold a “Labor Day Weekend of Service” in honor of front line workers, which included an emergency food distribution and a volunteer clean up of parks and veteran memorials.

The “Weekend of Service” will continue this year, Kelly said.

“Service is what unions are all about,” said Kelly. “We saw tremendous turnout and enthusiasm for our first ‘Weekend of Service,’ and we’re excited to continue it this year.”