Best Labor Day Weekend Events For Kids In Chicago
Have one last hurrah and say goodbye to summer by heading out to a fun event with your child on Labor Day weekend. From outdoor gardens to festivals, you can relax and unwind during an action-packed day. After all, why not spend time outdoors, especially with cooler weather just around the corner? To find an activity in your area, consider checking out the following events.
Buffalo Grove Days Festival
Raupp Blvd. and Lake Cook Road
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
www.bgdays.com
Dates: Aug. 28 to Sept. 2, 2013
Start fall and say goodbye to summer in style with the Buffalo Grove Days Festival. The multi-day event is family friendly and includes plenty of events for everyone. What's even better is that many of the activities are free, so you can have fun without breaking your budget. The lineup of activities includes a charity softball game, live performances by musical groups, carnival rides, bingo, an arts and crafts fair and crafts for kids. If you can only attend one day, make it Sunday, September 1st, so you can see the parade. Don't forget to stick around for the fireworks show, too, which kicks off at 9:15 p.m. that evening. A food tent featuring specialties from local restaurants is also available, with everything from pizza to fajitas offered under one roof.
Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake Cook Road
Glencoe, IL 60022
(847) 835-5440
www.chicagobotanic.org
Is there any better way to start a new season than by soaking up the sun and heading to the Chicago Botanic Garden? From drop-in activities in the Kleinman Family Cove to learning how plants grow at the Grunsfeld Children's Growing Garden, your family can learn about nature while having fun. Other activities planned for Labor Day weekend include the Garden Chef series, which is sure to be a hit with your aspiring cook. You can also check out the Chicago Botanic Garden's farmers' market on Sunday, September 1st, and pick up local vegetables for your barbecue.
Chicago Jazz Festival
Millennium Park
201 E. Randolph St.
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 742-1168
www.cityofchicago.org
Dates: Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, 2013
For the musically inclined child, spending time at the Chicago Jazz Festival is sure to be a treat. The festival starts Labor Day weekend early on Thursday and ends on Sunday, giving you and your family plenty of time to head out to Millennium Park for performances; the Chicago Cultural Center and Roosevelt University's Ganz Hall will only have performances on Thursday. The event is free, so pack up your picnic basket and your favorite beach towel so you can enjoy the performances outdoors. The festival's lineup includes Christopher McBride Quartet, Miguel de la Cerna Quartet, Donald Harrison and The Congo Square Nation and Papo Vazquez Mighty Pirates Troubadours.
Naperville Last Fling
Naperville Central High School
440 W. Aurora Ave.
Naperville 60540
www.lastfling.org
Dates: Aug. 30 to Sept. 2, 2013
If you're looking for a festival in the southwest 'burbs, then consider heading out to the Naperville Last Fling. The four-day event includes an assortment of events, including concerts and a carnival. The event also includes Family Fun Land, which is located at Naper Settlement, and includes pony rides and a bouncy castle. Food and beverages are also available for purchase at the event, so you can stay all day. For directions and information on parking, check out the festival's website.
Remix Chicago
Milwaukee Ave. between Fullerton and California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
www.ravenswoodremix.com
Dates: Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, 2013
If your children are environmentally conscious, then Remix Chicago just might be up their alley. Located in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, the annual event encourages participants to find new ways to repurpose items. The event, which was formerly known as Ravenswood Remix, also features an assortment of activities for kids, including the StoryBus, chalk drawings and an assortment of activities from the Shedd Aquarium. Musicians and an assortment of workshops are scheduled for Remix Chicago, too. Feeling hungry? The event's food vendors will have an assortment of meals available for purchase.
Related: Best Fall Festivals In Chicago
Megan Horst-Hatch is a runner, reader, baker, gardener, knitter, and other words that end in "-er." She is also the president of Megan Writes, LLC. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
