Patriots' Day is an official legal holiday, but only at the state level in Massachusetts, Maine, and Wisconsin. It is not a federal holiday in the United States, meaning federal offices and institutions do not close in observance. The status of the day as a "legal holiday" is therefore geographically specific and determined by state legislation rather than federal law.
The holiday is observed on the third Monday in April to commemorate 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. Massachusetts was the first to designate it as a public holiday in 1894, with Maine, which was formerly part of Massachusetts, later following suit. Wisconsin recognizes it as a special observance day for public schools. The distinction is that a state legal holiday typically results in the closure of state government offices and public schools, whereas a federal holiday applies to federal employees and services nationwide.
In practical terms, the observance of Patriots' Day primarily impacts the daily operations within the states that recognize it. State, county, and municipal government offices, as well as public schools and some private businesses, are closed in Massachusetts and Maine. The day is also associated with significant cultural and civic events, most notably the Boston Marathon, which has been held on Patriots' Day in Massachusetts since 1897, and various historical reenactments of the 1775 battles.
