| Patriots' Day | |
|---|---|
Statue of the Lexington Minuteman on the Lexington Green in Lexington, Massachusetts. |
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| Observed by | Massachusetts, Maine, Wisconsin |
| Type | Historical |
| Date | Third Monday in April |
| 2011 date | April 18 |
| 2012 date | April 16 |
| 2013 date | April 15 |
| Celebrations | Boston Marathon |
| Observances | Battles of Lexington and Concord |
Patriots' Day (officially Patriots' Day in Massachusetts[1] and Patriot's Day in Maine[2]) is a civic holiday commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. It is observed on the third Monday in April in Massachusetts[3] and Maine[4] (once part of Massachusetts), and is a public school observance day in Wisconsin.[5] 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 with state police escorts retrace the rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes, calling out warnings the whole way.
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Since 1969, the holiday has been observed on the third Monday in April, providing a three-day long weekend. 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.
The Boston Marathon is run on Patriots' Day every year so many Bostonians know the holiday as "Marathon Monday".
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 during the players' strike. 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.[6]