The holiday is celebrated on the third Monday in April. It is a state holiday in Massachusetts, Maine, and Wisconsin, commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which were the first armed conflicts of the American Revolutionary War in 1775.
Initially, the observance was fixed on April 19th, the actual date of the historical battles. In 1969, both Massachusetts and Maine moved the holiday to the third Monday of the month, aligning with a broader trend of creating three-day weekends for public holidays. Wisconsin officially recognized the day in 2001. The date is most famously associated with the running of the Boston Marathon, which has been held on this day since 1897, adding a significant cultural and athletic dimension to the historical commemoration.
This scheduling as a Monday holiday facilitates various civic events, including historical reenactments at Lexington Green and the Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. The observance remains a distinctly regional commemoration, highlighting the pivotal role these New England states played in the nation's founding, in contrast to federally recognized holidays.
