Labor Day events, major festivals, and concerts are expected to draw large crowds across the city.

City leaders said additional police officers and other public safety resources will be deployed throughout the holiday weekend, including along the lakefront, where large crowds are expected for the final weekend of the beach season. The weekend will also feature last Navy Pier fireworks show of the summer.

The city’s emergency management office said police, fire, and other agencies will coordinate security at events across Chicago.

Those events include the Chicago Jazz Festival, Arc Music Festival, Ye at Soldier Field, and Bike the Drive.

Officials are encouraging people to use public transportation and expect street closures, heavy traffic, and detours.

Interim Police Superintendent Fred Waller says the department will use overtime to ensure enough officers are available throughout the weekend to respond to any emergencies.Community groups have said they are taking safety into their own hands, putting on programming for young people that kids actually want to go to.

Champs Male Mentoring Program took 50 kids to see Ye at Soldier Field Thursday night and started the day with a tour of Donda’s House, his childhood home.

“Our goal is to be very intentional about keeping our young people safe by providing opportunities that will safeguard them and also allow them to have a lot of fun,” said Vondale Singleton, founder and CEO of Champs.

Another group of 50 will go to Ye’s Friday night concert. Singleton said experiences like this have the potential to make a huge difference.

“Young people are brilliant and excellent, and they have a lot of curiosity naturally, so we try to explore and expand that,” he said.

The organization is also taking a group camping over the holiday weekend.

“Some of our young people, it’ll be their first time going to campsite, going into nature,” Singleton said. “I don’t get a chance to see the stars in Chicago. You know, I’m hearing sirens at night, or I can’t sleep because of gunshots. And so to take them out camping to nature and exploring things, it’s just an experience that helps their brains grow even more.”

The organization Violence Interrupters launched its effort on the West Side to prevent shootings over the weekend.

“We plan to hit all the hot spot areas; spread the message of peace and goodwill to all the residents here in Chicago,” said president Tio Hardiman.

The push for safety comes one week after a mass shooting in Washington Park left one person dead and 14 others wounded.

Waller told CBS News Chicago that incidents like that are always a learning experience for police, but did not provide specific details about the police safety plan for the weekend.

The mass shooting highlights how and why the work of groups like Champs and Violence Interrupters is remains needed.

“Trust your instincts. If something feels off, don’t feel right, a car is circling, unfamiliar people are watching a block, take cover, go inside,” said Melissa Johsnon, Violence Interrupters associate director.

“I think it’s a little bit more challenging and strategic to create opportunities for young people,” Singleton said.

The latest crime data shows shooting are down nearly 4% in 2026 compared to the same period ending on Aug. 31 in 2025, and dropped more than 40% between 2024 and 2025.

This year, there is also a new focus on water safety.

CPD and the U.S. Coast Guard said they’ll be patrolling the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, looking for boaters who may be doing unsafe or illegal things.

This boating season has seen fatal incidents along Lake Michigan, as well as the Chain of Lakes region that encompasses Lake and McHenry counties.

“Our biggest thing is what we’d like to see people wear their life jackets. You know, we see a lot of no-wake violations,” said Sgt. Michael McCarty, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said they’ll also have increased patrols on the water as holiday weekends can bring somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 people out on the Chain of Lakes.

“Pay attention to your surroundings. Know if you’re going to be operating a boat, know what the rules are, boat responsibly, and report any dangerous boating to 911,” McCarty said.

And for those heading to the lakefront this weekend, officials say pay attention to the numbered markers on light poles. Those numbers can help first responders quickly locate you during an emergency.