Patriots' Day is a state holiday in Massachusetts observed annually on the third Monday in April. The date is not fixed but is determined by this floating Monday rule. This observance is also an official state holiday in Maine and is commemorated publicly, though unofficially, in Wisconsin.
The holiday commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War, which occurred on April 19, 1775. Originally, the holiday was celebrated on the fixed date of April 19. However, in 1969, Massachusetts state law changed the observance to the third Monday of the month. This change followed the principle of the federal Uniform Monday Holiday Act, designed to create more three-day weekends for the nation's workers.
This scheduling makes Patriots' Day the anchor of a significant long weekend in the state. The most prominent event associated with the holiday is the Boston Marathon, which has been held on this day every year since 1897. The timing of the holiday results in the closure of public schools, state and municipal offices, and many private businesses, solidifying its status as a major civic and cultural event within the Commonwealth.
