Labor Day is a holiday celebrating the American worker.

From barbecues to getaways to shopping the sales, many people across the U.S. mark it by finding ways to relax.

It’s celebrated on the first Monday of September.

Travelers crowd airports and highways for end-of-summer escapes, and backyard chefs prepare cookouts for family and friends.

While actions by unions in recent years to advocate for workers have been a reminder of the holiday’s activist roots, the three-day weekend it creates has become a touchstone in the lives of Americans marking the unofficial end of summer.