Patriots' Day is a state-level public holiday, not a federal one. It is an official legal holiday in Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut. While the state of Wisconsin also designates the day for special observance in public schools, it is not a public holiday there.
Observed annually on the third Monday in April, the holiday commemorates the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which were the first armed conflicts of the American Revolutionary War in 1775. The distinction between a state and federal holiday is crucial; state holidays legally mandate closures of state and local government offices, public schools, and many businesses only within that specific state's jurisdiction. Federal holidays, in contrast, apply nationwide.
Consequently, the practical application of this holiday is geographically limited. In Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut, residents can expect closures and participation in traditional events like the Boston Marathon. For individuals in all other U.S. states, the day has no legal holiday status, and standard business and government operations are unaffected.
