Hat in hand, Ed Carter listens to Kathy Brule sing the national anthem as cameraman Boyd Estes captures the scene for a PBS documentary on American composer Charles Ives and his holiday symphony.
Chloe von Conta, 16 months, of Harvard rests up before the big parade.
The town police lead the parade.
Dressed in Shaker garb, Jonathan Feist of the Historical Commission hands out candy in the parade.
Wally Shaw drives his hot rod tractor in the parade.
Throngs of spectators swarm Mass. Avenue.
Mark Kelley of Depot Road advertises that the Harvard Local float will be pulled with a tractor run on recycled restaurant oil.
Dawn French picks up after the horses.
Marcia and Don Rising of Stow ride in their 1911 Model T Ford.
Country music star Robin Right of Harvard waves to the crowd.
David Durrant's convertible shows his true colors.
Joseph and Anelise Thibault motor down Mass. Avenue in their mini fire engine.
John Lothrup from Windham, NH, drove a 1913 Pierce Arrow in the parade. (Photo by Ellen Harasimowicz)
This pooch is all decked out for the Fourth.
Garden Club members Alice Gerbura, Rachel Ogelsby, and Mary Vesenka Turner do a warmup shimmy before the parade.
Retiring teacher Dianne Temple is honored during the parade.
Spectators cover their ears as minutemen fire their muskets.
Major Steven Cronin, Lieutenant Oleh Dutkewych, Lt. Commander Stephen Dakin, and Sergeant Jon Blinn await the raising of the flag. (Photo by Ellen Harasimowicz)
Parade marshal Paul Johnston tips his hat to the crowd.
Seven-year-old Carter St. Lawrence of Acton played the bass drum with the Acton Minutemen Davis Blues Band. (Photo by Ellen Harasimowicz)
Erica Marksteiner stares down the pie-eating competition.
Bill Barton holds up his winning ticket for the adult heat of the pie-eating contest. (Photo by Ellen Harasimowicz)
Natalia Dutkewych shows off her hat and a popsicle mustache.
The competition is stiff in the five-and-under sack race.
Sam Zajac and Marc Ferguson make a mad dash for the finish line.
Katja Lierhaus competes in the sack race. (Photo by Rob Williams)
Jesse Wolff, Brian Lynch, Jacob Waldman, and Ben Waldman in the three-legged race. (Photo by Liz Frothingham)
It’s an all-out sprint to the finish in the parent-child relay race for Harvard Press photographer Lisa Aciukewicz. (Photo by Ellen Harasimowicz)
David Latham gets fitted for a bike helmet by firefighter Oona Aldrich. The fire department passed out helmets and educated about safety.
Caroline Mazzola gives it all she's got in the greased poll contest.
Shane Bilodeau ends up with egg on his face after the egg toss.
Peter Donaldson douses Aidan Aciukewicz after a relay race.
Lexi Norcross, Bill Barton, Patrick Flanagan, Matt Flanagan, and Sadie Flanagan anticipate the start of their water polo game.