What is Patriots' Day? Here's what to know about the holiday celebrated in New England

For more than a century, Patriots' Day has been celebrated in Massachusetts. Each year, history is brought to life through reenactments, parades and more.

Patriots' Day commemorates the start of the American Revolution, as marked by the battles of Lexington, Concord and Menotomy – the events following the famous "shot heard 'round the world."

In Massachusetts, the holiday was originally celebrated on April 19 (the anniversary of the battles), but since 1969 it has been held on the third Monday in April.

What are the origins of Patriots' Day, and how is it celebrated? Here's what to know about the holiday.

Boston Marathon starts Monday: Here's what you need to know

When did Patriots' Day become a holiday?

Patriots' Day was first celebrated in Massachusetts in 1894, proclaimed by Gov. Frederic Greenhalge as a compromise between competing efforts by the towns of Lexington and Concord to mark the day with their own names.

Is Patriots' Day only celebrated in Massachusetts?

No. Five states other than Massachusetts celebrate Patriots' Day: Maine (where it is Patriot's Day), Florida, Wisconsin, Connecticut and North Dakota.

Wisconsin became the third state to proclaim Patriots' Day in 2001. It celebrates it every April 19, though it isn’t a legal holiday in the state. Public schools in the state observe the day by teaching about the first shots of the Revolutionary War in Massachusetts.

Where are Patriots' Day celebrations? Parades in Lexington, Concord, Boston

Lexington and Concord are traditionally the heart of the day's celebrations, with reenactments, ceremonies, historical exhibits and parades through each town. For an extensive schedule of events, visit the Lexington town website and the Minute Man National Historical Park website.

Boston also hosts its own parade each year, with a flag-raising ceremony at City Hall, wreath-laying at the graves of both Maj. William Dawes and Paul Revere, before concluding at the Paul Revere Mall in the North End, where reenactors portraying Dawes and Revere begin their ride to the Lexington Green.

Boston and Concord's parades begin at 9 a.m.; Lexington's steps off at 2 p.m.

Somerville will host a Patriots' Day Colonial Fair at Foss Park from 10-11:30 a.m. to welcome "Paul Revere," as he rides through town. Arlington is also hosting a celebration, beginning at 11 a.m. at Town Hall to greet the riders.

Red Sox and Boston Marathon: Modern-day Patriots' Day traditions

Beyond the historical celebrations of the holiday, Patriots' Day is traditionally a jam-packed one in the city.

The Boston Red Sox always play at home with an unusual 11:10 a.m. start. And Bean Town's most famed sporting event, the Boston Marathon, welcomes runners from around the world each Patriots' Day for a grueling 26.2-mile competition, starting in Hopkinton.

What is 'Patriots Day' the movie?

Mark Wahlberg's 2016 film "Patriots Day," despite its incorrect punctuation, is an  encapsulation of the tragic events of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and a celebration of Boston.

What is the difference between Patriots' Day in April and Patriot Day in September?

Patriot Day, which is held annually on Sept. 11, is a day of observance to remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

Is Patriots' Day a federal holiday?

Patriots' Day is  a federal holiday.

This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: What is Patriots' Day? When is it? Details on New England holiday