International Workers' Day, observed on May 1 in nearly all countries except the US and Canada, commemorates the labor movement and the struggle for the 8-hour workday.
Originated from the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago, where workers striking for an 8-hour workday were killed. The Second International chose May 1, 1890 as the date of demonstrations in their memory. Most countries adopted it as a public holiday in the early 20th century — except the US and Canada, which positioned Labor Day in September to distance from the more radical association.
Labor union parades and demonstrations. May Day in Europe often features festive elements alongside political ones — maypole dances, spring flower offerings. In socialist countries, large military and worker parades.
Public holiday in virtually all European, Asian, Latin American, and African countries. Banks, schools, and government offices closed. Public transport runs reduced schedules.