Patriots' Day and the Boston Marathon

Only six states recognize Patriots' Day as a holiday, but in Boston it is the event of the year as half a million turned out to cheer on runners in the Boston Marathon.

Hello and Happy Patriots’ Day!

Today is Patriots’ Day in the states of Florida and Wisconsin, but the holiday was celebrated on Monday in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and North Dakota. Recognized only in those six states, the day commemorates the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the start of the American Revolutionary War in 1775.

The holiday is particularly significant in Boston, where half a million people turn out each year to watch the running of the Boston Marathon. Despite the rainy conditions this week, large crowds still gathered to cheer on runners — many of us felt compelled to face the elements, with this year being the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings. Netflix recently released a limited series chronicling that terrible event and the manhunt that followed — I thought it was well done.