LEWISTON – The Western Maine Labor Council will host a free family barbecue in Lewiston on Monday to celebrate Labor Day.

Held at the IBEW 567 Union Hall on Goddard Road, the barbecue will feature hamburgers and hot dogs from the Little Alaska Farm in Wales, live music from Ethan Miller and children’s entertainment in a children’s tent. National AFL-CIO Vice President Arlene Holt Baker, the highest ranking African-American woman in the union movement, will speak about the upcoming elections and issues facing working Mainers.

“Maine is a very important state in this election and is a very important labor state,” said Heidi Mitchell, AFL-CIO spokeswoman.

Panels from the Maine Department of Labor’s new Maine labor history mural will also be on display during the barbecue. Maine Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman and the mural’s creator, Judy Taylor, will discuss the mural, which depicts pivotal events in Maine labor history, including the 1937 Lewiston shoe strike.

The barbecue will run from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public. No registration is required.

The Western Maine Labor Council represents more than 5,000 workers from Androscoggin, Oxford and Franklin counties. The Maine chapter of the AFL-CIO represents 44,000 members.

This is the second annual Labor Day barbecue the council has hosted.