Patriots' Day is not exclusively a Massachusetts holiday. It is an official state holiday in Maine and a public school observance in Wisconsin. The holiday is consistently celebrated on the third Monday in April to commemorate the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Menotomy, the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War, which took place on April 19, 1775.
The scope and nature of the observance vary by state. In Massachusetts, it is a major public holiday marked by the closing of schools and state offices, historical reenactments, and significant cultural events, most notably the Boston Marathon and a morning Boston Red Sox baseball game. Maine's observance is historically linked to Massachusetts, as Maine was part of the commonwealth until 1820, and it is also an official public holiday. In Wisconsin, the day is legally designated as a special observance day for public schools, requiring educational instruction on the historical significance of the date rather than a closure. Connecticut and North Dakota also officially recognize the day with gubernatorial proclamations, though it is not a legal holiday in those states.
While legally recognized in several states, the holiday's cultural identity is most deeply rooted in Massachusetts. The combination of the historical location of the commemorated events and the large-scale civic traditions that have evolved around the day solidifies its primary association with that state. The distinction between a full public holiday (as in Massachusetts and Maine) and a commemorative or educational observance (as in Wisconsin and other states) explains why it is widely, though inaccurately, perceived as a holiday unique to Massachusetts.
