Haved lived in PA my 63 years; never heard of "Patriots' Day."

[WinkyDink]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/04/15/patriot_s_day_oklahoma_city_bombing_anniversary_waco_va_tech_and_the_boston.html
[quote]
In his speech following today's explosions at the Boston Marathon, President Obama noted that today is Patriot's Day in Massachusetts. "It's a day that celebrates the free and fiercely independent spirit that this great American city of Boston has reflected from the earliest days of our nation," the president said during a briefing where he made it clear that we don't yet know who was behind today's attack. But Obama wasn't the first to mention the holiday in the wake of the attack—speculation had already started swirling on Twitter about the possible significance of the Massachusetts Monday holiday on which the marathon is held every year.

With that in mind, a quick primer on Patriot's Day: It commemorates the opening battles of the American Revolutionary War, the battles of Lexington and Concord, both held on April 19, 1775. The holiday has become best known for the marathon and is in fact also referred to as "Marathon Monday." (Patriot's Day, we should note, should not be confused with Patriot Day, established on September 11 to mark the World Trade Center attacks.)

So why were people so quick to speculate about the holiday's possible significance? Undoubtedly because they were inspired by the fact that this week does contain a number of unhappy anniversaries: the Oklahoma City Bombing (April 19, 1995), the Waco assault (April 19, 1993), the Columbine School Shooting (April 20, 1999), and the Virginia Tech massacre (April 16, 2007), for starters. Two of those tragedies—the Virginia Tech massacre and the Waco assault—were on Monday, the Patriot's Day of those years.
[/quote]
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It isn't a "holiday" (think of the etymology); it is a state commemorative day.

[Blue_Adept]

1. Uh

It's a holiday here. We don't file taxes until the 16th. Many services are closed. It's a state holiday.

[appleannie1]

2. In our state we close schools on the first day of buck instead. Patriots Day seems a better reason.

[reformist2]

3. Holiday is the right word to use, etymology be damned.

[WI_DEM]

4. I live in Wisconsin and have friends from MA and I've heard of it.

[cali]

5. sorry. you are wrong. It is a state holiday. You may wish to deny that but you'll still be wrong.

[madinmaryland]

6. I had not heard of it until I moved to Connecticut about 30 years ago.

And it was only because we got an extra day to file taxes on the east coast and even in Maryland. Our federal taxes are sent to Mass, which is closed on April 15th.

[snooper2]

7. learning new things is good :)

[One_Life_To_Give]

8. Shame more people don't come learn

The reenactors are out every year giving a realism to several key events of that day. Unfortunatly it seems to be known now for the Marathon and the traditional Red Sox home opener. History stares us in the face but apparently we are too busy to see it.

[Marrah_G]

9. It is a state holiday

[Beacool]

10. It's a MA holiday.

IN NY and NJ we don't celebrate it either.

[Chan790]

14. I've thought for years if NY adopted it, it'd be a federal holiday within a decade.

CT, NH, VT and RI all unofficially recognize it as a holiday. We never got it off school in CT growing up...but we all knew when it was and had classroom celebrations and school-work themed to it.

Also, Flag Day.

[treestar]

11. State Holidays are a strange animal

Sort of old fashioned as the world has shrunk due to technology. Kind of charming. Delaware has "Separation Day" on June 15. It is for the separation of Delaware from Pennsylvania. Now that's something to celebrate!

[eShirl]

12. It's always been a holiday here in Maine, too.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

13. I've know about it my whole life

Always thought it was unfair kids in Mass got the day off and in RI we didn't.

[msanthrope]

15. You aren't a baseball fan? The early game on Patriot's Day at Fenway is legendary. nt