Patriots' Day is a state holiday observed on the third Monday in April. It is officially recognized in Massachusetts and Maine, and as a public school holiday in Wisconsin. The date of the observance varies annually due to its designation as a specific day of the week rather than a fixed calendar date.
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 observed on the fixed date of April 19, Massachusetts moved the holiday to the third Monday in April in 1969 to create a three-day weekend. The most prominent event associated with the modern observance is the Boston Marathon, which has been held on this day since 1897.
Because the holiday falls on the third Monday of the month, its specific date changes each year. For instance, it was observed on April 15 in 2024, will be on April 21 in 2025, and on April 20 in 2026. On this day, state, county, and municipal offices, as well as many schools and businesses, are closed in the states where it is an official holiday.
