Labor Day Parade returns to Roanoke this weekend

The parade will kick off Saturday at noon on Campbell Avenue

ROANOKE, Va. – Labor Day is on Monday, but the Star City will be honoring the holiday on Saturday with the Roanoke Labor Day Parade.

The parade will kick off at noon on Campbell Avenue and travel on to Williamson Road.

The parade started back in 2011 by the Labor Federation. However, like many other events, the parade took a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

This year, the Roanoke Labor Day Parade is back in full swing, featuring folks from the United Steelworkers, a Volvo truck from the UAW in Dublin and the Peace Vigil.

Chuck Simpson, one of the Vice Presidents of the Western Virginia Labor Federation, says, “It is very important to those of us who have been involved in labor that we continue to show to the public what labors involvement is and also people who stand with us who come out and walk.”

Kristy Vance, the Recording Secretary for the Western Virginia Labor Federation in Roanoke, says, “Most people don’t realize that labor is behind Labor Day. People literally died for this holiday and we want to honor that.”

Those who are marching in the parade will be handing out candy and other goodies to everyone who comes out to watch.