Patriots' Day is a state holiday observed on the third Monday in April in Massachusetts, as well as in Maine.
The holiday commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which were the first armed conflicts of the American Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775. The observance was originally held on the fixed date of April 19. However, in 1969, Massachusetts state law shifted the official observance to the third Monday of the month to create a three-day weekend.
This regional observance is marked by historical reenactments, parades, and the running of the Boston Marathon. It is important to distinguish this holiday from the national day of remembrance, also named Patriot Day, which occurs on September 11 in memory of the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks.
