Patriots’ Day



Patriots’ Day (officially Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts and Patriot’s Day in Maine ) is a civic holiday commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. These were the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. It is observed on the third Monday in April in Massachusetts and Maine (once part of Massachusetts), and is a public school observance day in Wisconsin. Observances and re-enactments of these first battles of the American Revolution occur annually at Lexington Green in Lexington, Massachusetts, (around 6:00 am) and The Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts, (around 9:00 am). In the morning, mounted re-enactors (National Lancers - Massachusetts) with state police escorts retrace the rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes, calling out warnings the whole way.

Since 1969, the holiday has been observed on the third Monday in April, providing a three-day long weekend, as well as being the first day of public school vacation week in Maine and Massachusetts. Previously, it had been designated as April 19 in observance of the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War.

It is also a school holiday for many local colleges and universities, both public and private. In addition, as Patriots’ Day is considered a holiday in Maine and Massachusetts, when it falls on a day where United States federal income tax returns would otherwise be due for the remainder of the country, residents of those states are given until midnight of the next day (Tuesday) to submit their return.

Sporting events
The Boston Marathon is run on Patriots’ Day every year, so many Bostonians know the holiday as "Marathon Monday". On April 15, 2013, at approximately 2:50 PM EDT (18:50 UTC) 04:09:43 since the start of the 117th running of the race, two bombs were detonated in a what is believed to be an act of terrorism near the finish line killing 3 and injuring over 140 people. See 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.

The Boston Red Sox have traditionally been scheduled to play at home in Fenway Park on Patriots’ Day every year since 1959. The games were postponed due to bad weather in 1959, 1961, 1965, 1967, and 1984, and canceled in 1995 because of the late start to the season. Since 1968 the games have started early, in the morning, around 11:00 am. The early start to these games usually resulted in the game ending just as the marathon is heading through Kenmore Square. However, since 2007 the marathon has started between 9:30 am and 10:00 am, resulting in the racers going through Kenmore towards the middle of the Red Sox game.

Recent and future dates

 * 2011: Monday, April 18
 * 2012: Monday, April 16
 * 2013: Monday, April 15
 * 2014: Monday, April 21
 * 2015: Monday, April 20
 * 2016: Monday, April 18

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