Teenagers Health

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is an annual federal holiday in the United States. Many American stores and businesses stay closed for Labor Day, and banking and postal operations come to a stop for the occasion. To most Americans, Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer and a last chance to enjoy vacation getaways with family members or friends.

In today's challenging economic times, plenty of people seek opportunities to plan brief recreational outings closer to home, eliminating expenditures for travel and lodging.

What exciting and enjoyable Labor Day events are available in the Chicago area this year? Check out these five super Chicago-Area Labor Day weekend getaways for summer holiday fun.

Careful readers will note that the current President of the United States, Barack Obama, is expected to attend at least one of these Labor Day weekend events in Chicago, Obama's own hometown.

Chicago Botanic Garden

1000 Lake Cook Road

Glencoe, Illinois

847-835-5440

Native Chicagoans boast of the beautiful Chicago Botanic Garden, with its fantastic floral displays, intriguing horticultural designs and scenic surroundings.

On Labor Day weekend, the Chicago Botanic Garden will offer two exceptional programs for public enjoyment.

Saturday, September 5th, the Chicago Botanic Garden farmer's market will offer seasonal produce from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (The farmer's market is open all season, from June 7th through October 18th.)

On Labor Day, September 7th, at 7:00 p.m., the Chicago Botanic Garden will present its final Monday evening Carillon Concert of the season. This 45-minute musical performance, featuring a tower with a four-octave range of authentic Dutch brass bells, is open to the public. Attendees may bring private picnics or purchase refreshments at the Chicago Botanic Garden's Garden Café or the Garden Grille.

The photo displayed with this article shows the Chicago Botanic Garden's carillon, located on Evening Island.

Chicago Jazz Festival

Grant Park

300 South Columbus Drive

Chicago, Illinois

312-744-3370

Chicago's own Grant Park offers Millennium Park, a myriad of lakefront museums, several ornate gardens, historic monuments and famous fountains. Grant Park is also the home of the annual Chicago Jazz Festival.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Chicago Jazz Festival, held Labor Day weekend. Running Thursday, September 3rd through Sunday, September 6th (10:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.), the festival includes three stages, with such popular jazz acts as the Ernie Adams Trio, Dee Alexander, Bob Baldori, Black Earth Strings, Richie Cole, Diane Delin, Fareed Haque, the Dave Holland Big Band, George Lewis, Roscoe Mitchell, the Dudley Owens Quintet, the Jeff Parker Quartet, William Parker, the Red Rose Ragtime Jazz Band, Sonny Rollins, Bob Seeley, the Archie Shepp Quartet, Esperanza Spaulding and others.

Eric Schneider will offer a tribute to jazz great Benny Goodman at the 2009 Chicago Jazz Festival on Labor Day weekend.

Admission is free for the Chicago Jazz Festival. Onsite vendors will offer refreshments. Picnics are also encouraged, and alcoholic beverages are permitted. Dogs are not allowed.

Chicago/Pullman Labor Day

111th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue

Chicago, Illinois

773-928-3040

Chicago's historic Pullman District offers a momentous Labor Day celebration, sponsored by the Pullman Civic Organization. Festivities will feature a bike rally and ride, historical presentations, special music, guest speeches, neighborhood tours, picnics and more.

This year, the Chicago/Pullman Labor Day celebration will include a special tribute to 32nd U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, marking the 75th anniversary of FDR's New Deal labor program.

Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States, is expected to attend the Chicago/Pullman Labor Day event as guest of honor.

Admission to the Chicago/Pullman Labor Day festivities is free.

Ravinia Festival

200 Ravinia Park Road

Highland Park, Illinois

847-266-5100

About a half-hour's drive north of Chicago, Ravinia Festival is a Chicagoland favorite for outdoor music concerts. Although reserved seating tickets may be purchased, many Chicagoans prefer to picnic on the lawn for the summer-long open-air music festival.

For Labor Day weekend in 2009, Ravinia Festival offers Hershey Felder (Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively), a Rodgers and Hammerstein tribute (Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m.) and a Mendelssohn string quartet (Monday evening at 8:00 p.m.).

Spirit of Chicago

River East Plaza

401 East Illinois Street

Chicago, Illinois

866-273-2469

The Spirit of Chicago presents dinner cruises for Chicagoans and visitors. On Sunday, September 6th (during the Labor Day weekend), the Spirit of Chicago offers a special Labor Day Weekend Sunday Fireworks Dinner Cruise.

For about $80 per person, participants may enjoy a dinner buffet, on-board entertainment, big-city panoramic views and an after-dark fireworks show. Special rates for groups (twenty or more) may be available.

Labor Day Fun in the Windy City

The Chicago area boasts nearly unlimited recreational opportunities, particularly in the summertime. Labor Day weekend in and around Chicago presents plenty of promising celebratory options.

Incidentally, during the Labor Day weekend in 2009, the Chicago Cubs will be out of town, playing the Colorado Rockies. The Chicago White Sox, however, will host the Boston Red Sox at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field from September 4th to 8th.

Whatever Windy City pursuits people pick, particularly on Labor Day weekend, the Chicago area is well worth the trip, for local Chicagoans and visitors alike.

Sources:

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com

http://chicagoweekendfun.com

http://laborday.pullmanevents.info

http://ravinia.org

http://www.chicagobotanic.org

http://www.chicagofestivals.net

http://www.ci.chi.il.us

http://www.explorechicago.org

http://www.spiritofchicago.com

http://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com

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The New York Mets suffered a historic collapse in the 2007 regular season. They may now be the favorite to win the National League in 2008.

Reports around the country indicate that the Minnesota Twins have traded ace pitcher and two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana to the New York Mets for four prospects. ESPN.com and several other websites state that the Twins will receive outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitching prospects Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra. Completion of the deal is pending Santana passing a team physical as well as the Mets signing Santana to a contract extension. ESPN.com reports that the deadline for the Mets and Santana to agree upon a deal is 5 p.m. on Friday. It is believed that Santana is seeking a six or seven year deal worth anywhere between $140 and $150 million.

Just as important as acquiring Santana for the Mets is the fact that the team did not have to add 19-year old prospect Fernando Martinez in the deal. Baseball America named Martinez the number one prospect in the Mets' farm system in 2007.

The addition of Johan Santana gives the Mets arguably the best pitching rotation in the National League and without question one of the best in all of Major League Baseball. New York now could have a stating pitching rotation of Santana, Pedro Martinez, Oliver Perez, John Maine and Mike Pelfrey, Orlando Hernandez or a possible free agent pickup. This rotation along with an above average bullpen and one of the best offenses in the National League make the 2008 New York Mets once again the favorite to win the National League East.

Santana, who will turn 29 before Opening Day, had somewhat of a down year in 2007. He finished with a record of 15-13 and an ERA of 3.33. 2007 was the first time Santana finished with an ERA over three since the 2003 season. Nevertheless, Santana still had a WHIP of 1.07 and struck out 235 batters last season. He struck out an average of over nine and a half (9.66) batters per nine innings and opposing hitters had a batting average of .225 against the dominant southpaw.

The New York Mets were searching for an upgrade such as this after the disappointment that was the 2007 regular season. The Mets were picked by many to win the NL East with ease and the team held a seven game lead in the division with only 17 games to play. However, the Mets were swept twice by the Philadelphia Phillies in the last month of the regular season and eventually relinquished the division lead to the Phillies. Philadelphia went on to win the division and the Mets failed to make the playoffs.

Sources: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3220894
http://www.metsblog.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Mart%C3%ADnez_%28baseball_player%29
Stats courtesy of ESPN.com

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