The 26th Annual Lorain County Organized Labor Unions’ Labor Day Family Celebration on Sept. 3 at Lorain’s Black River Landing included union members, elected and public officials as well as many residents.
The event has a long history in Lorain and at this year’s event, it continued to draw in a huge crowd of an expected 5,000 to 6,000 people, said John Gallo, co-chairman of the Lorain County AFL-CIO Federation of Labor.
“We try to make this affordable for families to come out and have a good time,” said Ron Adkins, president of the Lorain County AFL-CIO Federation of Labor.
“We’re having a very good turnout,” said Gallo. “Everyone seems to be enjoying the great music and enjoying themselves,” Gallo added.
Gallo believes the event’s car show brought in more than 200 vehicles, a possible record in Lorain County, he added.
Additionally, the event was free to the public to walk through the entrance gates and each was given a ticket to win a door prize at the end of the festivities, Gallo said.
The door prizes, in total, cost about $10,000, Gallo said.
In order to claim prizes, ranging from televisions, iPads, season passes for Lorain’s Rockin on the River and more, the ticket holders had to be present when the winners were announced, Gallo added.
“You can’t find a better family value,” Adkins said of the 50-cent hotdogs available at the celebration gathering.
“This is a great day for organized labor to give back to the community,” Adkins also said.
Adkins got involved with organizing the event in the late-1990s, he said.
“John (Gallo) was one of the founding fathers of this event. We’re very fortunate to have him,” Adkins said of his colleague.
While the event is in its 26th year, it only had to be canceled three times, Gallo said.
For two years, the event was canceled due to the global coronavirus pandemic, and in 2014 when the unions were reorganizing, Gallo said.
“It’s great. I like the music,” said Brian Garcia Sr., a former union member and Ford employee, who was in attendance to enjoy the event as well.
“I like the music and I like that they have a lot of things for the kids,” Garcia said as he and his friend were taking a break at a picnic table.
