As documented previously (many times!) the little village of Andover, New Hampshire is a destination for thousands on Independence Day. An extensive flea market draws bargain hunters to the Town Green, where professionals sell antiques, tools, books, maple syrup, etc. from stalls. Meanwhile, on the lawn in front of Ives House, faculty and friends peddle all kinds of stuff informally. Josh Norris gets a nibble from someone interested in his CD collection:



Some treasures are of dubious value, such as this table laden with trinkets, schlock art and junk:

 

The Green is a mob scene.

 

Many of the booths are selling items in support of the many service organizations that enrich life in New Hampshire communities that lack tax support available in other states. Members of our all-volunteer fire departments sell raffle tickets for a fishing canoe:

 

The list of volunteer service organizations goes on..... Andover Historical Society, Friends of the Northern Rail Trail, Andover Service Club (which donates scholarships to local kids), Andover Outing Club, Andover Rescue Squad.... Each of these organizations depends on local volunteers to provide valuable service to the community. The Lions Club serves up (delicious!) hot sausage grinders for five bucks.

 

The entire Day is the product of the Andover Fourth of July Committee, which asks nothing in return for organizing a day packed with activities and entertainment, (followed by a super fireworks display.) By opening its campus to hoards of visitors, Proctor Academy (which donates to the Fourth of July Fund) is a major, behind-the-scenes benefactor.

 

There's a comforting sameness to Independence Day in this all-American town. Scouts raise the flag at 10:00 AM; local citizens sings patriotic songs; the Kearsarge Band plays John Philip Souza tunes and local state representative Bill Leber announces everything from the reviewing stand on Main Street. Andover's singular One Wheelers perform to a crowd munching fried dough and onion rings.

 

At noon, kindergarteners with perfect attendance for the year ring the bell on Maxwell Savage as a parade fit for a much bigger town wends its way from North Street through the center of the village.

 

From year to year, the parade is almost identical! Local and state politicians walk by, shaking hands and waving; sirens scream from fire trucks; colonial re-enactors fire a muzzle-loaded cannon from a trailer.

 

The hilarious Leapin' Lena dances down the route as she has since the 1960s.



Also becoming a tradition is a one hour performance by Andover's sensational kid rock band, the Long Tail Monkeys.