In 2025, Patriot Day will be observed on Thursday, September 11. This American day of remembrance is held annually on the same calendar date to commemorate the 2,977 people killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The date is fixed by federal law and does not vary from year to year.
Officially designated as the Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance, the observance was signed into law in 2002. On this day, the President of the United States directs that the American flag be flown at half-staff at all U.S. government buildings and facilities. A nationwide moment of silence is encouraged at 8:46 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time), marking the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The day is also intended to encourage volunteerism and community service in tribute to the victims, survivors, and first responders.
This observance should not be confused with Patriots' Day, a separate holiday recognized on the third Monday of April in Massachusetts, Maine, and Wisconsin. Patriots' Day commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first engagements of the American Revolutionary War. The two holidays, despite their similar names, honor distinct events in United States history and occur on different dates.
