Most holidays have become little more than a day out of work for those that actually have the day off. Labor Day is no exception. Few know the history of Labor Day, and even fewer seem to care about it. The day was recognized at the federal level in 1894 after a number of workers were killed in the Pullman Strike, however it had been celebrated by the majority of states starting as early as 1882. Today, it's become little more than a day for yard sales and cookouts and is considered in the US to be the last official day of the summer recreation season. (Memorial Day in May marks the first day of that season.)
The only celebration I could find in Rhode Island that marked the day was a small parade in East Providence. The highlight of the parade was an appearance by the Shriners, seen in today's photo driving their famous tiny cars. The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine was established as an international organization in 1870. In the US they are most noted for a series of hospitals they run for children suffering from spinal injuries, cleft lip, and extreme burns. Of greatest significance is that the Shriners offer all treatment to these children without any financial obligation to the parents or families of the patient. The hospital is open to children of all races and religions. For this service, the Shriners are one of the most respected fraternal organizations in the US.
Post processing started with a brilliant cold filter in Topaz Adjust. From there I adjusted the adaptive exposure, contrast, strength, detail boost, sharpen, and adaptive saturation sliders. A levels adjustment was applied in PSE and I topped it off with a warming filter.
