This year marks 80 years of Union Picnic Day celebrations, with the Labour Day Festival and Union Picnic Day being held at Eddison Park on Monday 7 October.
The first Union Picnic Day was held in 1939, which combined several union-won public holidays into a single day coordinated by UnionsACT.
Union Picnic Day was a public holiday until 2006 when Liberal prime minister John Howard abolished the public holiday. The ACT Government re-gazetted the public holiday as Family and Community Day, and it was again renamed in 2017 as Reconciliation Day, when UnionsACT moved Union Picnic Day to the Labour Day public holiday.
A short fact-sheet is attached to this media release and is available online here: https://unionsact.org.au/history-of-union-picnic-day/
Last year, the Union Picnic Day saw 5000 people attend and enjoy the food trucks, rides and free music. This year’s event will be bigger and better, with more rides, more food trucks, and more entertainment.
Labour Day Festival & Union Picnic Day Details
Time: 10am to 2pm
Date: Monday 7 October 2019 (Labour Day public holiday)
Location: Eddison Park, in Phillip, just off Launceston St. See map here. (Free parking here)
Free entry – More info on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/368927083734862/
Photos from last year’s picnic are available here: (Facebook link) – photo credit: Leo Bild.
The following quotes are attributable to Alex White, secretary of UnionsACT:
“UnionsACT is pleased to again host Union Picnic Day, which for over 80 years has been a major annual event for working people and their families.
“The Labour Day public holiday is all about celebrating the achievements of workers in unions, who have made Canberra the best city in Australia to live and work in.
“Last year, we saw thousands of people enjoy the free festival, and this year our message is: everyone is welcome.”
