Patriots' Day is not a national holiday in the United States. It is a state-level civic holiday officially observed in Massachusetts and Maine on the third Monday in April. The day commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first armed conflicts of the American Revolutionary War, which took place on April 19, 1775. While it holds significant historical and cultural importance, its legal recognition is confined to specific state jurisdictions rather than the entire nation.
The distinction lies in the U.S. system of governance, which differentiates between federal and state holidays. Federal holidays are designated by the U.S. Congress and apply to federal employees, the District of Columbia, and federal institutions nationwide. In contrast, state holidays are established by individual state legislatures and are officially observed only within the borders of that state. Patriots' Day was first proclaimed in Massachusetts in 1894. Maine, having been part of Massachusetts until 1820, also adopted the observance. While other states, such as Wisconsin and Connecticut, have encouraged or designated observances on this date, they do not recognize it as an official public holiday involving the closure of schools and state offices.
Consequently, the practical application of this holiday is regional. In Massachusetts and Maine, state and municipal offices, public schools, and libraries close. However, federal services, such as the U.S. Postal Service, remain operational as they follow the federal holiday calendar. The day's most prominent association is with the Boston Marathon, which has been held on Patriots' Day every year since 1897, reinforcing its status as a major cultural event in New England rather than a national commemoration.
