Evacuation Day is a holiday observed on March 17 in Suffolk County, Massachusetts (which consists of the cities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop), and also by the public schools in Somerville, Massachusetts. The holiday commemorates the evacuation of British forces from the city of Boston following the siege of Boston, early in the American Revolutionary War. Some schools and government offices may be closed. If March 17 falls on a weekend, schools and government offices may be closed on the following Monday in observance. It is the same day as Saint Patrick's Day, a coincidence that played a role in the establishment of the holiday. amid interest in local history that also resulted in the construction of the Dorchester Heights Monument. The state made it a holiday in Suffolk County in 1938. A 1941 law established the holiday in Suffolk County, signed in both black and green ink.
thumb|upright|A Revolutionary War [[historical reenactment|reenactor at Boston's 2008 St. Patrick's Day parade]]
Observance activities
Evacuation Day activities are limited in the areas that observe the holiday. The Allied War Veterans of South Boston mark the day with a ceremony on Dorchester Heights. The city of Boston offers free parking for the day.
Moves to eliminate holiday
In 2010, the state legislature debated eliminating Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day as official holidays, citing the expense of giving state and local workers paid days off. The state's 2011 budget required all state and municipal offices in Suffolk County to be open on both days.
See also
- Evacuation Day (New York)
- Massacre Day
- Patriots' Day