Patriot Day is not an official public holiday in New Hampshire. State offices, schools, and businesses operate on a normal schedule. There is often confusion between two separate commemorations: Patriot Day on September 11 and Patriots' Day on the third Monday in April. Neither is a legal state holiday in New Hampshire that would result in the closure of government services or public schools.
The distinction between the two days is critical. The national observance known as Patriot Day occurs on September 11th to remember the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks. It is a National Day of Service and Remembrance, and while the U.S. flag is flown at half-staff by presidential proclamation, it is not a federal or state holiday. Conversely, Patriots' Day, which falls on the third Monday of April, is a state holiday in neighboring Massachusetts and Maine. It commemorates the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first engagements of the American Revolutionary War. While historically significant to the region, New Hampshire does not officially recognize Patriots' Day as a public holiday.
In practical terms, residents of New Hampshire should not expect closures for state or local government offices, courts, or public schools on either September 11 or the third Monday in April. While the state government may issue proclamations acknowledging the solemnity of September 11, it does not carry the legal status of a holiday that grants a day off for public employees or the general workforce.
