Nottingham (actually WEST Nottingham), New Hampshire has one of the nicest small town Fourth of July celebration that I've ever run into.

It's at Demmon's Old Crossroads Store (and the West Nottingham Post Office is a tiny addition off the side of the 1 gas pump convenience store) and starts at 7 a.m. with a free breakfast of eggs, bacon and homefries made on the grill. Then we sit around and sing and play music until 9 a.m. The Postmaster leads the ceremonial raffle (this year a hand painted locally produced tin full of candy and an American flag set), somebody (usually a child on trumpet or trombone, but this year a folkie with a guitar) leads "The Star Spangled Banner" and then David Behm (wearing a tie covered with New Hampshire state outlines and the Old Man of the Mountain) reads the entire Declaration of Independence. Not sure how long David's been doing the reading , but it's been well over 15 years.

Then we go home (about 9:30 a.m.) -- or off, as in our case, to a music party.

Linn