It’s Labor Day and we’re straddling the line between mourning the end of summer and celebrating an epic last weekend. We get three full days off, the weather is practically begging for a picnic, and then we wake up on Tuesday and are like, “oh yeah, goodbye summer”.

And all the while, we’re so wrapped up in squeezing out the last drops of summertime fun that we don’t even remember what Labor Day is all about.

We got one thing correct though: the epic picnic. Throwback to the first Labor Day. It’s NYC in 1882, as many as 20,000 workers decide to play hooky with a massive parade and picnic in the park. Obviously it was a rager. There were “Lager beer kegs… mounted in every conceivable place” and we can only imagine the homegrown being passed around.

But it didn’t just come from a lot of workers wanting a giant, public party (though that was a pretty sweet bonus). Labor Day was born out of strikes, protests, and the labor movement literally putting their bodies on the line. It took years of organizing (and more than a little unrest) before Congress finally made it official in 1894.

So picnics and ragers, check. But what about the thing we’re actually celebrating, the American worker? This year, let’s take some time to remember who the holiday is actually for.

An Ode to the Workers

We’d like to pay our own homage to the many hardworking hands that make being a stoner possible.

Arriving at the perfect bud? Those beautiful, terpy nugs certainly didn’t grow themselves! It took a lot of love and a lot of labor to get here, from seed to top shelf. And all those hard workers on the line? Consider the trimmer: scissors working at lightening speed, masterfully removing every trace of stem and leaf. Bud fluffers, you might call them. Did you really think each nug just came off the plant like that?

And for the ones you know best: the friendly faces at the dispensary hooking you up with the best recs. The budtenders. Celebrate the budtender who always has your back with an actual thank-you (a tip works too).

Now for the munchies. Did you know that to work in a bakery you need to arrive at work between 2:00 and 5:00 AM? Brutal. These guys are then on their feet (starting when some of us are only just passing out on the couch) for many-hour shifts, bringing us the dank treats to feed our weed-fueled munchie habit.

Or what about the 7-Eleven clerk who, even on a Sunday, stands at attention to our most urgent midnight cravings. Or make that 4 AM cravings. For the non-night owl stoner, maybe you didn’t realize that 7-Eleven has its name for a reason: it’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So let’s give a big thank-you to the guys who keep our holy snack depot open at hours when even we’re sleeping.

As they say, “it takes a village to raise a stoner”. But all jokes aside, let’s make a conscious effort today to thank all the people who make some of our ridiculous indulgences (gummy runs at all hours of the night, anyone?) possible.

And Now, a Final Ode to Summer

Back to the simple fact that Labor day also means it’s time to accept that summer’s officially over.

Save the booze for your backyard BBQ (sadly, hanging kegs from trees in public parks is no longer acceptable in 2026) and pack up your fully-loaded picnic basket; you’ve got the snacks, Maryland’s got the parks.

Bishop’s Garden at the National Cathedral: Call it D.C.’s very own secret garden. The immaculately landscaped grounds? Just like the perfectly-trimmed bud, they didn’t do it themselves. While you’re sprawled out on a freshly-mowed lawn, take a second to appreciate the work behind the view.

Meridian Hill Park: The most classic of DMV picnic spots. A thirteen-pool fountain and a reflecting pool?! Also, as of Labor Day, it’s still open till midnight. For those getting a late start after a tradition-honoring kegger the night before, this is your go-to for an evening picnic and stroll.

Lady Bird Johnson Park: How many other parks are an entire island. Enough said. Breezes from the Potomac River will cool you down and if you’re not the picnic type, no problem, this island even has its own restaurant.

Hagerstown City Park: It’s massive, it’s gorgeous, it’s often called the crown jewel of the city parks. What better way to celebrate than with an alcohol-free public rager? Plus, we think the workers of 1882 would definitely be in support of a pre-picnic gummy.

So in the spirit of the American Worker, let’s close out summer with a celebration to make the OGs proud. And hey, why not throw in an extra-festive touch with a little pre-picnic OG?

WEED THE PEOPLE