What To Do This Labor Day

Over 31 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Labor Day holiday, a slight decrease from last year due to economic uncertainty, according to AAA.

Luckily, the Town of Kensington is one of those towns that still hosts its .

The 44th Annual Labor Day Parade and Festival will be held Monday, at 10 a.m. and is free and open to the public. The parade will start at the intersection of St. Paul and Plyers Mill, and run south along Connecticut Ave.

The festival, complete with food, games and live music, will take place at Armory and Howard Avenue immediately following the parade.

If you’re looking for other local options on Labor Day weekend, check these out:

1) Maryland State Fair
Since 1878, this annual state fair has been dazzling attendees with rides, games, horse racing and now concerts.  The Maryland State Fair goes through Monday, Sept. 5. Adult admission is $8, senior admission (62 & over) is $6, Children’s admission (6 to 11) $3, and children 5 and under are admitted free. Rides are individually priced.

2)
The Montgomery Art Association and the Town of Kensington present this Labor Day art show at the Kensington Armory/Town Hall. The show, free and open to the public, will be open all Labor Day weekend, with a reception on Saturday evening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. On Labor Day, there will be extended hours available from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30p.m. Come out and see artwork by professional and amateur
local artists.

3) National Symphony Orchestra Capitol Concert
This Labor Day concert is free and no ticket is required. At this year’s concert, the National Symphony Orchestra will celebrate the Legends of Washington Music: John Philip Sousa, "Duke" Ellington, and Chuck Brown, the "Godfather of Go-Go." Gates open at 3 p.m. with an open rehearsal at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. The concert starts at 8 p.m. on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building.

4) Abbey Road on the River 2011
Abbey Road is the world’s largest Beatles-inspired five day music festival featuring 60 music groups and thousands of fans from Sept. 1 to 5 at the Gaylord National Resort, rain or shine. The groups will perform on two indoor and four outdoor stages. On Labor Day, the performances will go from noon to 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased via the website.

5) Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
Still haven’t seen Washington D.C.’s newest memorial in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? The dedication for the memorial has been postponed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go check out the memorial. It is located at 1964 Independence Ave., S.W., and is metro accessible via the Smithsonian and Foggy Bottom stations.

6) Kennedy Center performances
Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center is a chance to view exciting musical and artistic performances for free. All performances start at 6 p.m., unless otherwise noted.

7) Matzo ball eating contest
Hoping to be an annual event, Uptown Deli in Bethesda is hosting its first matzo ball eating contest. Matzo balls are Jewish dumplings made from matzah meal. Matzo ball eating contests have been held at Ben’s Deli for year. In 2008, a deli in Houston hosted the first World Matzo Ball Eating Contest. Others have been held nationwide. Individuals can now sign up for free but must register by Sept. 4. Monetary donations are accepted and proceeds will go to The Children’s Inn at NIH.

8) VA Scottish Games and Festival
On Saturday and Sunday, celebrate Virginia's Scottish heritage in Old Town Alexandria with Scottish Games. Come see bag piping and drumming, highland dancing, fiddling competitions, sheep-herding
demonstrations, antique cars and children’s games, all for free. There will also be craftsmen and food vendors. Events run until 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

9) Washington Nationals Vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park
Tickets are still available to watch the Washington Nationals take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday at 1:05 p.m. For more information, and to get your tickets, visit their website.