Very interesting state holidays

[Brent Burns]

While I was checking on this month's calendar, I noticed that March 17 is St. Patrick's Day. I fondly look back to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' interesting state holidays, and one of them is called Evacuation Day. Know what day is it on? March 17.

April 19 (around that date) is also another state holiday in Massachusetts where all of the schools and the state agencies are closed. Why? That is when the Boston Marathon takes place on that day.

1993 was the last year my family and I moved down to Texas from Massachusetts. I am not sure if those holidays are still alive and kickin'.

[laxfan25]

April 19 (around that date) is also another state holiday in Massachusetts where all of the schools and the state agencies are closed. Why? That is when the Boston Marathon takes place on that day.

Now, now Brent, April 19th isn't a holiday because it's the day the Boston Marathon is run, the B.M. is run on Patriots Day!

"Patriot's Day (sometimes spelled "Patriots' Day" or without the apostrophe) is a holiday in the U.S. states of Massachusetts, Maine, and (to a lesser extent) Wisconsin. It is on April 19, in honor of the anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, which is generally considered to be the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. In recent years it has generally been observed on the Monday nearest that date, to provide a three-day long weekend. Since 1969, the holiday has been observed on the third Monday in April.

The Boston Marathon is run on this day every year. Also, the Boston Red Sox traditionally play home games on this date, typically starting at 11:00 AM." (Thanks Wikipedia!)

I've been to one of those Patriot Day Sox games - great time! Go Sox!!

[Brent Burns]

See, I have been away from Mass. for almost 13 years. I got to a site that jarred my memory.

http://www.shagtown.com/days/usa.html

That is when I now remembered that it is called Patriot's Day. When living up there, I always enjoyed watching the Marathon on TV every year. In fact, I used to go to the First Congregational Church of Hopkinton which would be very close to the start line of the Marathon.

[Campbell]

my wife has been working for the state for over a year now and they have a ton of holidays. Sam Houston's Birthday, Confederate Hero's Day, San Jacinto day, and Texas Independence day all come to mind as either obscure or state specific. I think there is a LBJ day in there somewhere, but can't remember. I think I need a job with the state.

[Adam G]

Living in Wisconsin my entire life, I can honestly say that I've never celebrated Patriots Day, but I think I may have to start something up... Wisco never really needs a reason to celebrate anything!

[Brent Burns]

Living in Wisconsin my entire life, I can honestly say that I've never celebrated Patriots Day, but I think I may have to start something up... Wisco never really needs a reason to celebrate anything!

Hmm... that is interesting, and what he said matches what the link that I put up says about holidays in Wisconsin. Do they still have Good Friday that goes from 11 am to 3 pm??? That is what the site mentioned about Wisconsin's public holidays.

[Gregg Pathiakis]

It wasn't until I started working for the State Legislature that I even heard of Evaucuation Day. That, along with Bunker Hill Day, are only celebrated in Suffolk County (the county Boston is in), but because Boston is the state capitol, all state government employees got those days off. I remember the first time I got one of those days off, I actually had to ask my mother what holiday it was. She knew only because she grew up in Boston and got those two days off from school.