Patriots' Day is a state holiday observed annually on the third Monday in April. This observance is specific to the states of Massachusetts and Maine.
The holiday 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. Initially celebrated on the fixed date of April 19, the observance was shifted in Massachusetts in 1969 to the third Monday of the month to create a three-day weekend. The state of Wisconsin also officially recognizes the day but observes it on the historical date of April 19.
The date is most widely known for its association with the Boston Marathon, which has been held on Patriots' Day every year since 1897. Therefore, the specific date of the holiday changes each year but always falls on a Monday within the month, distinct from the fixed historical anniversary of the battles it honors.
