The Last Big Weekend
By: J. David Chapman, PhD, / September 4, 2026
At Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees, we have always referred to Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day as the “big three.” Memorial Day opens the summer season, the Fourth of July is the economic and recreational high-water mark, and Labor Day brings summer to a close.
For my family, Labor Day weekend has always been special. Apparently, Jimmy Buffett understood the feeling. His classic “Come Monday” begins with him heading to San Francisco for a Labor Day weekend show. There is something about the weekend that signals one last opportunity to stretch summer just a little longer.
But Labor Day is about much more than boats, barbecues and a three-day weekend. The holiday dates to the labor movement of the late 19th century and was created to recognize the social and economic contributions of American workers. The first Labor Day celebration was held in New York City in 1882, and Congress made the first Monday in September a federal holiday in 1894.
Somewhere along the way, it also became America's unofficial end of summer. That has real economic significance in resort communities. At Grand Lake and vacation destinations across the country, a handful of summer weekends can make an enormous difference to marinas, restaurants, hotels, short-term rentals, convenience stores, retailers and entertainment businesses. Labor Day gives those businesses one last major opportunity before the summer crowds disappear.
But the weekend isn't quite what it once was. For generations, Labor Day and the beginning of school were closely connected. Summer vacation generally lasted through Labor Day, allowing families one final trip before returning to school and normal routines. Today, many schools begin weeks before Labor Day. By the time the holiday arrives, families are already back into classes, practices, football games and other activities.
That changing calendar has quietly changed the economics of America's resort communities. Still, Labor Day remains an important bookend. It gives families another weekend together, businesses another shot at the summer crowd and communities one last celebration before fall.
Most importantly, it reminds us why the holiday exists in the first place. Behind every marina, restaurant, hotel, construction site, office and small business are people whose labor makes our communities work.
So enjoy the lake, fire up the grill and squeeze everything you can out of the last big weekend of summer. But somewhere between the boat ride and the barbecue, remember the workers Labor Day was created to honor.
Dr. J. David Chapman is Chair of Finance & Professor of Real Estate at the University of Central Oklahoma (jchapman7@uco.edu).