Approximately 125 vehicles slowly made their way down S.W. Jackson from the Kansas Judicial Center and looped back around down S. Kansas Ave. at S.W. 6th. The cars and trucks in the parade were accompanied by people on foot or riding on trailers.

Participants threw candy to eager children scattered along the route, while other volunteers handed out political fliers.

Though many people watching the parade also wore labor T-shirts, there were those who just came to enjoy a nice day out.

Immediately following the parade, the crowd moved to the south steps of the Statehouse. Lawn chairs and tables were set up so people could enjoy free hot dogs and listen to several speakers.

Jim Cox, co-chairman of the Labor Day festival, said the celebration was a tribute to "the blood, sweat and tears" that went into securing worker's rights. Among the accomplishments he cited were the 8-hour work day, 40-hour work week and overtime pay.

"These are things that 100 years ago we fought for," he said.

"Corporate America doesn't want to give you anything," he continued. "You've got to fight for everything you get."

Among the speakers was Jim Garner, secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor. He asked the crowd to remember what happened at the beginning of this year -- the Sago mine collapse in West Virginia that trapped 13 miners, with only one surviving.

"The one good thing that came out of that event was that it focused the nation's attention on the issue of safety in the workplace," Garner said.

He also criticized the state Legislature for passing a bill shortly after the Sago tragedy that addressed worker compensation, known as the disposable worker bill. Garner then applauded the governor for immediately vetoing the bill.

"The bill did one thing. It cut benefits to injured workers," he said.

He continued by addressing current issues that workers face, like making sure they are labeled correctly.

"There are continuing struggles today that labor organizations are involved in," he said.

Other speakers included Topeka Mayor Bill Bunten and Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka.

Bunten took a family-oriented approach to the labor movement by addressing the traits needed to find work, including literacy, dependability and punctuality.

"We learn these traits, or we don't learn them, in our homes, in our schools or from those we admire," he said.