Even heavy fog and pouring rain didn't stop the Upper Valley from celebrating the Fourth of July with a bang.
With fireworks, parades and even a hike up Mount Moosilauke, Dartmouth students and community residents still reveled in Independence Day festivities.
Members of the Dartmouth Outing Club and others gathered at the summit of Mount Moosilauke to watch fireworks displays in neighboring towns below -- but dense fog and heavy rain blocked much of the view.
"The fog was really dense, but we did see some fireworks," Walker Holmes '00 said. "Fireworks look different in the rain."
Although the descent was made more difficult by a steady rain and darkness, about 70 students made the four-mile, two-hour hike.
Despite the bad weather, DOC President Ben Berk '00 said, "It was great. We were soaked and drenched, but it was a real cohesive experience."
Closer to the College, hundreds of community residents and Dartmouth students stood through wet drizzle at Lebanon High School on Saturday night to watch a fireworks display, the annual Spirit of America Fourth of July celebration.
Early Saturday morning, as most Dartmouth students slept, about 500 Upper Valley residents watched Hanover's fourth annual Old-Fashioned Fourth of July celebration.
The parade included about 30 acts with a slate of participants including musicians, dancers, antique cars, and animals. The 30-minute parade, which began near Lebanon Street and marched up Main Street onto Wheelock Street, eventually ended up on the Green.
The festivities on the Green featured an opening ceremony, and a host of activities: children's games, music and inexpensive food.
Music featured on the Green included performances from the Green Mountain Highlanders bagpipe band, the Foggy Mountain Cloggers dancing troupe and the Cardigan Mountain Tradition bluegrass band.
The event was sponsored by KIXX, a local country music station.
