GREENE – For nine decades, Greene has been celebrating the end of summer with a community-wide Labor Day picnic. In 1919, when the first event was held, participants crossed the Chenango River on ferries to reach the picnic site. The annual event is now held at the Greene Ball Flats, where it routinely draws roughly 10,000 visitors.
“It’s a tradition,” explained Byron Miller, who has spearheaded the event for much of the last decade as president of the Greene Labor Day Picnic Association.
This year, that tradition continues as the Annual Labor Day Picnic marks its 90th year. In honor of the occasion, Miller and his fellow volunteers on the planning committee have increased the size of both the opening parade and the fireworks finale. They’ve also added a few more crowd-pleasing, family-friendly attractions and activities throughout the day.
The festivities will kick off at 8 a.m. on Monday with downtown hose fights, coordinated by community volunteer Bernie McDermott. They will conclude in time for the annual Labor Day parade, for which floats will begin lining up by 9:30 a.m. in the Raymond Corporation parking lot.
This year, Miller said, they have a greater number of entries than in previous years. The lineup is expected to include a number of area fire departments, the Greene High School Marching Band, local scouting and community groups, plus a procession of antique cars and tractors.
The parade will begin at 10 a.m., making its way through downtown Greene en route to the Ball Flats, where the amusement rides, carnival games and food booths will already be in full swing.
Amusements will be provided once again by 3-D Amusements. “They do a good job for us,” Miller reported, adding that this year the rides will also be open from 1 to 8 p.m. on Sunday to give local children an extra opportunity to ride.
While these rides typically cater more to younger children, there will be a new addition sure to please the older crowd: a race car simulator. According to Miller, the four-person simulator “can put you on any track in America” in a number of different races including NASCAR, funny cars and drag racing.
Back again this year will be the antique car show, which drew more than 100 cars last Labor Day in its inaugural year. Tractors of Yesteryear will also be back with its antique tractor pull.
The Greene Lions Club will also hold their 5th Annual Duck Race, which will begin at noon on the Chenango River. According to Miller, the remaining tickets for the event will be on sale at the ball flats before the “race” begins.
Other events scheduled for throughout the day include bingo, an alumni baseball game, little league and softball games, a dance recital and plenty of live musical entertainment.
And during it all, visitors will be able to enjoy the numerous game and food booths manned by community and school groups and area churches.
“The whole thing is done by volunteers,” Miller explained. All the money raised during the event, through the food sales and game booths, flow right back into the community, he explained. The Labor Day Picnic Association donates $6,500 a year on average to local groups throughout the year.
Bringing the day long celebration to a close will be a fireworks display no one will want to miss, according to Miller.
“It will be a spectacular show,” he said.
Admission to the event will be free, as will all of the day’s entertainment, with the exception of the rides, games and food.
Visitors are asked to bring school supplies for the Stuff-a-Bus, which will be distributed to students in the Greene Central School District who are in need of these supplies. Non-perishable food items will also be collected for the Greene Food Pantry.
While children and adults of all ages are welcome to attend, the organizers don’t allow pets of any kind. That prohibition includes dogs, as well as more exotic animals, Miller said.
Free parking is available at the Great American on South Chenango Street. A free shuttle will be available between 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. to ferry event goers from the parking lot to the Ball Flats. Additional parking will be available in the village’s municipal parking areas. Parking at the Ball Flats itself will be reserved for handicap parking only, according to the event organizers.