Patriots' Day is a state holiday, not a federal holiday. It is officially recognized and observed as a public holiday only in a few specific states, primarily Massachusetts and Maine. Therefore, it is not a nationwide observance, and federal government offices and services remain open.
The holiday commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first armed conflicts of the American Revolutionary War, which occurred on April 19, 1775. It is observed on the third Monday in April in Massachusetts and Maine, where it is a significant event marked by the closure of state and local government offices, schools, and many private businesses. The state of Wisconsin also officially recognizes the day, though typically as a special observance within public schools rather than a full public holiday.
Because it is a state-level designation, its practical implications are confined to the regions that observe it. Federal institutions, such as the U.S. Postal Service and federally chartered banks, operate on a normal schedule across the entire country, including within the states that celebrate the holiday. The event is most famously associated with the annual running of the Boston Marathon, which has been held on Patriots' Day in Massachusetts since 1897, highlighting its status as a day of major regional and historical importance rather than a national commemoration.
