First Labor Day events - 1882

from Writer's Almanac (American Public Media: Garrison Keillor):
Today, the United States celebrates Labor Day. The very first Labor Day event took place on this date in 1882. There’s some disagreement about who came up with the idea first; according to the U.S. Department of Labor, it was a man named Maguire, but sources differ on whether it was Peter Maguire, a union leader in the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, or Matthew Maguire, a machinist.
Either way, it was the Central Labor Union in New York City that organized that first event: a parade and a picnic featuring speeches by union leaders. It was intended to celebrate labor unions and to recognize the achievements of the American worker. On that first Labor Day, 20,000 workers crowded the streets in a parade up Broadway. They carried banners that said, “Labor creates all wealth” and “Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, eight hours for recreation!” After the parade, people held picnics all over the city. They ate Irish stew, homemade bread, and apple pie. When it got dark, fireworks went off over the skyline. The celebrations became more popular across the country in the next 10 years. In 1894, Congress made Labor Day a national holiday.