What is Labor Day?

To be clear, the Labor Day that we are talking about is a U.S. Federal Holiday. This means that virtually all United States Federal Government employees take the day off (many privately-owned companies also give their employees the day off on Federal Holidays).

Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September. Labor Day is a yearly national tribute to the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the United States.

Internationally, May 1st is known as International Worker's Day and is celebrated as a national holiday in over 80 foreign countries. International Worker's Day celebrates the social and economic achievements of the international labor movement.

Prince Kuhio Day

Today is Kuhio Day in Hawaii. Since 1949, the state of Hawaii has celebrated the birth of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole on March 26. Born in 1871, Prince Kuhio was one of the best known leaders in Hawaiian history.

As a state holiday, many state offices and small businesses are closed. Federal offices remain open as do most popular tourist attractions. A list of what establishments are open can be found at StarBulletin.com, one of the state's largest newspapers.

To learn more about Prince Kuhio and what Kuhio Day is all about, please visit some of these links:

• Kuhio Day - Wikipedia
• Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole - Wikipedia
• What do People Do? - TimeAndDate.com
• Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio Hotel (hotel named after Prince Kuhio)