Independence Day is all about traditions. For some, these include salmon and peas, backyard cookouts and fireworks. Here, in the hamlet of Andover, the pyrotechnics (which are excellent) are an afterthought to a day in which the center of town (Proctor's campus) is inundated with thousands of outsiders.

What makes Andover such a destination on our nation's birthday? Arts and crafts, tables of yard sale junk, a 5K road race, band performances, fried food and grilled sausages. These dogs are peddled by the Lions Club.

You could lob a wiener from the Lion's booth to the Andover Snowmobilers' hugely popular Italian sausage stand.

It's all local tradition. At ten, the reviewing stand draws our attention to the flag-raising by Andover scouts; the crowd pauses and salutes as Margo Coolidge sings the Anthem; at noon, an extensive parade winds its way from Proctor Pond down North Street, and up Main Street.

The whole thing is the best of Americana: hundreds of strangers sharing time and fun for a day that--we are reminded (over load speakers)--honors the United States of America. This year, we were treated to the stellar performance of the Band of the Northeast from the Massachusetts Air National Guard.

Leapin' Lena--a unique contraption that tilts back with flaring fenders--is a staple of the Andover Parade.

This year's parade had "Railroad Years" as a theme, and the overwhelming hit entry was two-and-a-half-year-old Miles Hurlbutt's modified lawn tractor.

Andover's true claim to fame is not its Fourth of July observances, but the One Wheelers unicycling team, which performs across the nation. This photo is actually at a warm-up demonstration before they pedaled the parade.

The Lions Club maintains a classic, functioning Concord Coach, which is on display at the Andover Historical Society. Here it is drawn by two very pretty horses.

This photo depicts the size of the throng along the parade route.

And now, a break from tradition. The Concord Monitor recently ran a front page article on Andover's sensational kid rock band the Long Tailed Monkeys. Pictured here are fourth graders Max Barrett (drums), sixth grader Sam Barrett (bass) and fourth grader Logan Marcus (lead guitar). Tyler Holman (keyboard) is pictured at right.