Patriot's Day 2012 is not just about the Boston Marathon, a Red Sox day game and time off from work.

Patriot's Day, observed on the third Monday in April, commemorates the battles at Lexington and Concord -- the first battles of the Revolutionary War.

Without Lexington and Concord the United States as we know it today might not exist, said Dave Gilliard, president of the California-based Gold Country Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, when his group celebrated Patriot's Day last year. The American patriots who battled the British army on April 19, 1775 changed the world forever and their heroic actions deserve to be recognized.

Maine and Massachusetts residents have the day off and kids get off from school, and while the Boston Marathon and a Red Sox day game are part of Patriot's Day tradition, they're not the only events held on Patriot's Day.

There's also a parade in Concord, Mass., according to event listings at wickedlocal.com. Concord also commemorates the Battle at North Bridge with war re-encators.

In Lexington, Mass., there's a 5-mile road race, parade, and a pancake breakfast to start the day, according to Boston.com.

A Lexington Battle re-enactment was conducted before the parade began at 2 p.m., according to the National Parks Service.

That's not counting the long list of events held in the run-up to Patriots Day 2012.

But the most popular parts of Patriots Day 2012 are the Boston Marathon, won by Wesley Korir [men's] and Sharon Cherop [women's], both of Kenya; and a Boston Red Sox game.

The Red Sox have played at Fenway Park during the day on Patriot's Day since the late 1960s. This year's game was a disappointment for the Red Sox as they lost to the Tampa Bay Rays, 1-0.

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