Patriots' Day is a state holiday observed on the third Monday in April. The key term, a proper noun, refers to this specific day of observance in Massachusetts and Maine.
The holiday commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which occurred on April 19, 1775, marking the start of the American Revolutionary War. While originally celebrated on the fixed date of April 19, a 1969 Massachusetts statute moved the official observance to the third Monday in April to create a three-day weekend.
In Boston, the day is synonymous with the running of the Boston Marathon, an event held annually on this holiday since 1897. Other traditions include a morning Boston Red Sox baseball game at Fenway Park and historical reenactments in the nearby towns of Lexington and Concord.
