GREENE – In the early hours of Labor Day morning the downtown Village of Greene will be invaded by thousands of people coming to participate in one of the largest celebrations the community holds.

“The first was held in 1919 and if my math is correct this will be our 88th annual Labor Day Celebration,” said the President of the Greene Labor Day Association Inc., Byron Miller. Originally, it was a celebration of the harvest but has evolved into a community picnic attracting up to 20,000 people.

Greene’s Genesee Street will host the beginning of the event Monday as fire crews meet for a watery show down along the main drag. Crews will battle with their companies fire hoses in hopes of earning themselves local bragging rights by pushing a large ball down to their opponents side with nothing but water pressure.