That whooshing noise you may have heard was the sound of Summer 2009 rushing past, and now Labor Day is right around the corner.

Celebrations of the American worker are held in various communities in Michigan, and building trades workers and their families are urged to participate in a parade or picnic near you.

Following are worker-related events in various locales in Michigan taking place on Labor Day weekend.

Detroit: For the building trades and Teamsters, a line of march on Monday, Sept. 7 will proceed as usual on Labor Day, east along Michigan Avenue towards Campus Martius downtown. The building trades will line up before the parade, as usual, along Trumbull Avenue south of Michigan Avenue. The parade, under the theme of “Fighting for all workers,” will start at 9 a.m.

Participants will march in the following order this year, with the United Association taking the lead on Trumbull Avenue, closest to Michigan Avenue:

1. United Association of Pipe Trades

2. Sheet Metal Workers

3. Roofers

4. Boilermakers

5.Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers

6.Elevator Constructors

7. IBEW

8. Iron Workers

9. Heat and Frost Insulators

10. Cement Masons

11. Painters

12. Laborers

13. Teamsters

Other unions will march down Woodward from the Cultural Center to Campus Martius.

“This is always a great day for labor in Detroit,” said Saundra Williams, president of the Metro Detroit AFL-CIO. “It’s so much work to put it together, but when we see the faces of thousands and thousands of union members gathered together at one time, it’s really worth it.”

Grand Rapids: New this year is the Grand Rapids Labor Fest, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Labor Day around the “Spirit of Solidarity” monument at Ah-Nab-Awen Park near the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum, off of Pearl Street, one block east of U.S. 131.

The event includes free admission to the Grand Rapids Van Andel Public Museum, the Spillman Carousel and all exhibits, including the premiere opening of “Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion.”

There will be music in the park, as well as a food vendors and a beverage tent. Various labor unions will have table displays.

Ishpeming: The 20^th annual Labor Day festival will be held on Sept. 7, with a parade starting at 11 a.m. The parade starts and ends at the Cliff’s Shaft Museum and goes from Euclid to Main to Division and then comes back to the museum via Lakeshore Drive.

A picnic and rally follows the parade from noon to 4 p.m. The rally will include music by Fast Eddies Blues Band, speeches from elected officials and candidates, along with children’s activities. A picnic lunch will be available.

Monroe: The Monroe/Lenawee County AFL-CIO Central Labor Council will celebrate its 50^th anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 5 at the Philip Murray Building, 41 W. Front Street, Monroe, MI 48161 – Michigan’s only labor history museum.

Hours of the event are noon to 10 a.m. Keynote speaker Lt. Gov. John Cherry will speak at 5 p.m. Tours, a moonwalk and ice cream will be available. A neon sign on the building will also be dedicated.

Muskegon: The West Michigan United Labor Day Parade will be held in downtown Muskegon for the first time, with an 11 a.m. start on Sept. 7.  Parking for parade participants will be at Heritage Landing with Pioneer Resource shuttle buses running from 9 a.m. until 10:40 to the staging area which will be on Clay between Terrace and Spring St. The parade will end at Seventh Street and Western Avenue.  Following the parade will be a Solidarity Tent with food and refreshments.

St. Ignace: The annual five-mile walk over the Mackinac Bridge begins at 7 a.m. on Labor Day, led by Gov. Granholm. Walkers are allowed to start until 11 a.m.  The walk starts in St. Ignace, and shuttle buses ($5) are available for the return trip.