Terre Haute marks Labor Day

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Wabash Valley unions marked Labor Day with a parade, bean dinner and other celebrations Monday.

Terre Haute’s annual Labor Day Parade stepped off with dozens of entries including marching bands, floats, politicians and others, but some laborers say they attend for the chance to spend time with other union workers.

“The Labor Day parade is organized labor,” said Paul Bridgewater. “All the people that I’ve worked with over the years … It’s a good time to get together and see all of them here, and they all come out. It’s a great thing.”

After the parade, union members also hosted a free bean dinner at Fairbanks Park. While organizers said they aren’t sure how old a tradition the bean dinner is, they say its meaning goes back to the days when unions began in the United States.

“There was a time when people didn’t have any food,” said Carl Gregory. “They didn’t have pork and steak, all kinds of good foods, all the green vegetables and everything they needed. So a lot of them basically lived on beans and potatoes and starch foods.”

Despite showers through the weekend, both the parade and bean dinner remained dry.