GREENE – For nine decades, Greene has been celebrating the end of summer with a community-wide Labor Day picnic. In 1919, when the first event was held, participants crossed the Chenango River on ferries to reach the picnic site. The annual event is now held at the Greene Ball Flats, where it routinely draws roughly 10,000 visitors.

“It’s a tradition,” explained Byron Miller, who has spearheaded the event for much of the last decade as president of the Greene Labor Day Picnic Association.

This year, that tradition continues as the Annual Labor Day Picnic marks its 90th year. In honor of the occasion, Miller and his fellow volunteers on the planning committee have increased the size of both the opening parade and the fireworks finale. They’ve also added a few more crowd-pleasing, family-friendly attractions and activities throughout the day.

The festivities will kick off at 8 a.m. on Monday with downtown hose fights, coordinated by community volunteer Bernie McDermott. They will conclude in time for the annual Labor Day parade, for which floats will begin lining up by 9:30 a.m. in the Raymond Corporation parking lot.

This year, Miller said, they have a greater number of entries than in previous years. The lineup is expected to include a number of area fire departments, the Greene High School Marching Band, local scouting and community groups, plus a procession of antique cars and tractors.