A little reason to celebrate
Patriots' Day
History ยท The third Monday in April
Patriots' Day remembers the battles of Lexington and Concord, which opened the American Revolutionary War, and brings the Boston Marathon.
Patriots' Day falls on Monday, April 19, 2027. That is 174 days away.
Patriots' Day remembers the battles of Lexington and Concord, the first fights of the American Revolutionary War. It falls on the third Monday in April and is a state holiday in Massachusetts and Maine, where many schools and offices close.
The history behind it is local and specific. Colonial militia, many of them farmers and tradesmen, met British regular troops on Lexington Green and later at the North Bridge in Concord. Those clashes turned a long political argument into a war. Paul Revere's midnight ride, which warned the countryside that the soldiers were coming, belongs to the same story.
In New England the day starts early. Reenactors in wool coats and tricorn hats gather on Lexington Green before dawn to restage the first shots, and crowds bundle up to watch in the cold. Concord holds its own ceremonies and parades near the North Bridge, and towns along the old routes host fife and drum corps, musket demonstrations and pancake breakfasts.
The other name, Marathon Monday, comes from the Boston Marathon, which is run on the same day. Thousands of runners travel from Hopkinton to Boston, and spectators line the course to cheer strangers by name if it is written on their shirts. The Boston Red Sox usually play a home game that morning, so fans sometimes walk out of Fenway Park just in time to see runners pass in Kenmore Square.
Away from New England, the day is quieter. Many people mark it by reading about the early Revolution or by revisiting Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem about Revere, which still makes the ride sound faster than any horse could manage.
Ways to celebrate
- Read Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride" aloud.
- Watch the Boston Marathon coverage and cheer for the runners.
- Look up the route Revere and other riders took to warn the militia.
- Visit a local historical society to learn about your town's early history.
- Attend a reenactment or parade if you live near Lexington or Concord.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday, April 20 |
| 2027 | Monday, April 19 |
| 2028 | Monday, April 17 |
| 2029 | Monday, April 16 |
| 2030 | Monday, April 15 |
Also on April 19
- National Garlic Day
- National Amaretto Day
- National Chicken Parmesan Day
- National Rice Ball Day
- National Hanging Out Day
- Oklahoma City Bombing Commemoration Day
Categories: History days