Patriots’ Day is a civic holiday in some states in the US and commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Concord and Lexington, which were the first battles fought in the American Revolutionary War. Patriots’ Day takes place every year on the third Monday in April in the states of Maine and Massachusetts; in Wisconsin, it is observed as a public school observance day.
Re-enactments and observances of the these American Revolutionary War battles occur every year at around 6am at Lexington Green, which is located in Lexington in Massachusetts, as well as at around 9am at The Old North Bridge in Concord in Massachusetts. Mounted re-enactors – who have escorts from the state police – retrace the rides that were taken by William Dawes and Paul Revere, with warnings called out along the way.
The tradition of observing the holiday on the third Monday in April began more than 40 years ago, back in 1969, and resulted in it becoming a three-day weekend, as well as the first day of a public school holiday week in Massachusetts and Maine. Prior to 1969, Patriots’ Day has been celebrated on 19th April to observe the actual anniversary of the battles.
The Boston Marathon also takes place every year on the same day as Patriots’ Day, and the day is known as Marathon Monday by many Bostonians. This year Patriots’ Day falls on 15th April, while in 2014 it will fall on 21st April.
Jon Huser
