The subject of the inquiry, "Patriots' Day," functions as a proper noun. It is not a national holiday in the United States. It is an official state holiday observed in Massachusetts, Maine, and Wisconsin. Federal holidays are those designated by the U.S. Congress for all federal institutions, while Patriots' Day is recognized only at the state level by the legislatures of these specific states.
The holiday commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which took place on April 19, 1775, and marked the first armed conflicts of the American Revolutionary War. In Massachusetts and Maine, it is observed on the third Monday in April. Wisconsin observes it on April 19. This regional observance is rooted in the historical geography of the events it honors, which occurred within the territory that is now the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The distinction is significant: while the events celebrated on Patriots' Day are of national historical importance, its official recognition as a public holiday is a state-level decision. The holiday gains significant national attention due to the Boston Marathon, an event held annually on the same day in Massachusetts. This high-profile event often leads to the misconception that the day itself is a federal holiday, but its legal status remains confined to the states that have officially enacted it.
