Months back, when the Citizen-Times editors asked for volunteers to work holidays, I scanned down the list and saw Labor Day open for the taking.

"I'll do it!" I volunteered, giving up my September three-day weekend for the good of the cause. It seemed like such a great idea, at the time.

Later, though, in August, I was tasked with writing up a guide to list all sorts of Labor Day fun, knowing all the while that the fun I found would be had without me.

So here you are, Asheville: A fun, ultimate guide to Labor Day Weekend — a list of awesome things that I won't be able to attend. I'll be here in the newsroom, at my keyboard, if anyone needs me.

(No, really. Go. Have fun without me. I won't mind.)

In all seriousness, jokes aside, plenty of people are working this Labor Day Weekend — and we're definitely glad to have nurses, doctors, police officers, restaurant workers and others on-duty — all of those who keep Asheville safe and fun (even on holidays) for the rest of us to enjoy. We appreciate you!

So, whether you're working through the weekend or not, here are some fun ways to enjoy the time you do have this Labor Day.

Living Asheville Arts Festival is back!

One of downtown's favorite free events is back for Labor Day weekend this year, after a brief hiatus in its 14 years of festival-planning. The Living Asheville Arts Festival — formerly known as the Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival — is making a big comeback 11 a.m. to 9 p.m Sept. 3 along Lexington Avenue downtown.

For newcomers or those out of the loop, LAAF is a free music and arts festival that brings music, dance, theater, buskers, food, drinks, activities and art to the streets of downtown for one day of celebration.

Join the fun from College Street to the Interstate 240 underpass — and bring the kids along for all sorts of family-friendly festival fun. Tune in to musical acts across three stages, browse (and buy) from local art vendors, follow the roving dance, theater and street performance acts — or head to a local fashion show, held at 6:15 p.m. at the South Lexington Stage (in front of Calypso restaurant and Tops For Shoes.)

Learn more at the event's Facebook page at facebook.com/lexfest.

111th annual Canton Labor Day Parade and Festival

For 111 years, this longstanding mountain tradition has celebrated the hard work of locals with a parade and festival through the streets of town.

Just west of Asheville, in downtown Canton, the party starts at noon Sept. 3 with music, food and a handicraft expo, featuring Papertown Kids Village, at Sorrells Park. The party-in-the-park lasts all day, ending at 9:30 p.m., with a musical Mountain Gospel Experience at the Historical Colonial Theatre from 2-5 p.m.

The next day, Labor Day itself, prepare for the parade, which starts at 10 a.m. and rolls through the streets of downtown Canton. Ending around 11:30 a.m., the parade gives way to the Smoky Mountain Cruiser's Classic Car show downtown, noon-4 p.m., along with the continuation of music, food and arts at Sorrells Park, noon-9 p.m.

The musical lineup for the weekend includes a number of great acts, notably featuring local funk sensation Lyric, country and Southern rock star Joe Lasher Jr., newgrass favorite Sam Bush and the mountain music of Chatham County Line, David Holt, Balsam Range and Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder.

While all of Monday's shows are free, tickets are being sold for Sunday shows at most Ingles supermarkets in Western North Carolina for $8 in advance or $10 for admission the day of the event. Find a full lineup, schedule of events and more information at cantonlaborday.com.

Last Shindig of the season

Put on each year by the Folk Heritage Committee, Shindig on the Green is one of the best ways to experience what mountain music is all about.

Mountain music is for community. It's for impromptu jam sessions and for getting to know your neighbor. It's about fiddles and banjos and dancing 'til the sun goes down — and we're quickly approaching the last Shindig of the season.

Held on Saturdays in Pack Square Park, the 51st season of Shindig on the Green is coming to a close on Sept. 2, starting at about 7 p.m. Head downtown for a free evening of folk and mountain music. Bring your fiddle, your guitar, your banjo and your dancing shoes. You won't want to miss this summertime favorite.

Find out more about Shindig, the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival and the Folk Heritage Committee at folkheritage.org.

Hendersonville celebrates apples

With summer near its end, Western North Carolina is preparing for apple season — and there's no better way to kick it off than at the North Carolina Apple Festival, held annually over Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 1-4, for more than 70 years (and counting). The street fair comes complete with freshly picked apples, arts and crafts, festival food and free entertainment at the Historic Courthouse on Main Street in Hendersonville.

From 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, more than 200 vendors will be showing off arts, crafts, apples and other foods — and, yes, there will be plenty of caramel apples and fried apple pies to go around.

On Monday, however, the street fair will die down, and the stage entertainment will be replaced by the spectacular King Apple Parade at 2:30 p.m. Check out more information and the lineup for each day of the festival at ncapplefestival.org.

Cornhole, chili and beer in Black Mountain

Lookout Brewing in Black Mountain is inviting guests to come out with the whole team this Labor Day.

Celebrating the unofficial end of summer, the brewery will be hosting a cornhole tournament and chili cookoff from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. For the tourney, entry is $5 per person and you must enter as a team (with a team name — be creative). Sign up at the brewery or on the brewery's Facebook event page. Entry fees will be combined into a pot and used as cash prizes to be awarded to the first, second and third place teams.

For the chili cookoff, there are no limitations or rules. Be as traditional or as untraditional as you'd like. The brewery will provide sample cups for everyone to taste the creations.

Lookout Brewery is located at 103 S. Ridgeway Ave. in Black Mountain.

All Souls summer cookout

Head down to the River Arts District for the last cookout of the summer at All Souls Pizza, 175 Clingman Ave. in Asheville.

This party starts on Labor Day, at 1 p.m. Monday and goes until food runs out, with a cash bar, free music and friendly neighbors.

The family-friendly cookout is held in the grassy field next to the pizza restaurant.

Get your Labor Day veggie on

Last weekend we had BaconFest, this weekend, we have the opposite.

Join the Asheville Vegan Society for its third annual VegFest, held in Pack Square Park's Roger McGuire Green, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 3. Sample and enjoy tasty food and drinks from vegan vendors and listen to free music, speakers and enjoy activities for kids.

The day's music downtown includes folk from Drew Cleary, country/folk from Annette Conlon, Americana from Many A Ship and a special tribute to Tom Petty called Somewhat Petty.

Admission is free. Check out more information at ashevillevegfest.com.

Calling all veterans

From 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 4, the Asheville Veterans group will be hosting a relaxing social for local vets.

Enjoy a day on the water with fellow troops by meeting at Carrier Park, 22 Amboy Road in Asheville, at 11 a.m. with your tube, boat or float. The group will make the float together and exit the river up at the Salvage Station, on Riverside Drive.

Dance party at Sierra Nevada

Looking to dance a bit this Labor Day?

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is hosting a dance party, featuring The Cheapsuits, from 2-5 p.m. Sept. 4.

Sierra Nevada is at 100 Sierra Nevada Way in Mills River.

Anti-establishment in the park

AARF isn't just a noise that dogs make — it's the acronym for the Asheville Anarchist Rad Fair, gathering in Pritchard Park downtown from noon to 3 p.m. Sept 3.

According to the event page, AARF "is a monthly gathering for people interested in encountering grassroots activists and organizations working towards liberation on the basis of mutual aid, horizontalism, direct action and autonomy."

The event is free and open to the public and promises an opportunity to learn more about local projects that fight for a world free of oppression.

Learn more at facebook.com/AvlRadFair.

Summer finale on the river

Last but not least, make a toast to the end of summer at Ole Shakey's Summer Finale party at 790 Riverside Drive.

The venue promises all-day fun with barbecue, a tiki bar, inflatable pools, free limo rides (?) and music from In Plain Sight, Josh Hughey, Jericho, Chadwick Howell and Space Coven.

I'm not sure what inflatable pools and free limo rides at a bar is going to look like — but I'm very intrigued. "Bring your bathing suit," the event page advises.

The event starts at 1 p.m. Sept. 3 and has a $5 cover.