Cinco de Mayo — Cinco de Mayo means “Fifth of May” in Spanish, and is a celebration of the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla, May 5, 1862. The Mexican army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, won the battle even though the French force was three times as large and better equipped. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexico, and has become a popular heritage celebration in the United States.

Arbor Day is a national observance that promotes the planting and care of trees. Arbor Day is celebrated each year on the last Friday in April. This year Arbor Day is on April 27th. Go ahead and plant a tree!

Boston’s beloved Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, celebrates its centennial on April 20th. Learn more about this iconic structure on our page of links.

Patriots Day is a state holiday in Massachusetts and Maine, marking the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. Patriot’ Day is celebrated on the third Monday in April. This year’s observance falls on April 16th.

• Passover — Passover is an eight day Jewish holiday that celebrates the delivery of the Jews from bondage in Egypt. This year Passover is celebrated from sunset on April 6 to nightfall on April 14
• Easter — This Christian holiday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and this year falls on April 8.

National Poetry Month — “Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets around the country band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture.”

Visit our page of resources for celebrating this event.