It has taken a village to gear up and plan for this year’s historic Fourth of July celebration in Hanover. The party is not only for our nation’s 250th birthday but also for the town’s 265th anniversary. What better time to remember and celebrate the ideals of our Founding Fathers for liberty, equality, justice, and democracy?

The Parks & Recreation department, librarians at both the Etna and Howe libraries, the Hanover Historical Society, members of the police force, school art teachers, Hood Museum of Art, local businesses and organizations, the Old Timer’s Fair committee, and dozens of volunteers are all pitching in to provide a myriad of patriotic events, art projects, contests, displays, crafts, and activities leading up to the big parade and festivities on the Dartmouth Green on July 4, 2026. 

 

Let the Fun Begin!

In anticipation of this Fourth of July, the Howe and Etna Libraries are planning several craft and historical educational opportunities. The Howe has arranged a Hanover History Hunt running from June 1 to July 4 for all ages. Participants should pick up their scavenger hunt maps at the library reference desks. Sam Milne, Howe librarian, hints that one location is about a 10-minute walk from the Dartmouth Green, but all other locations are within close walking distance of the Green. Two locations will require entering a building to discover something on display. After all locations have been marked off on the map, participants should return their maps to the Howe Library reference desk before July 4 to be entered to win one of three gift cards to Still North Books & Bar. Children 12 and under will also receive a free book after completing the hunt.

The theme of the Etna Library’s annual Chalk Art Contest this year (held June 22 to 26) will be on America’s 250th birthday celebration and offer gift card prizes for multiple patriotic categories. A USA Birthday Story Walk will be on display through August 1. Stroll up the hill behind the Etna Library and read the placards containing pages from a tale about the birth of our nation. Also, look for nine Hometown Hero banners celebrating Hanover’s Revolutionary War heroes on display around Etna and Hanover Center.

The Etna library will also be taking their annual bicycle parade to the 65th Hanover Center Old Timer’s Fair on the Common on June 27. This will be the second year the bicycle parade location will be at the fair, according to library director Jeff Metzler, after many years being held separately in the library parking lot. Starting at 9:30am, kids can decorate their bikes with provided patriotic decorations and then join the parade at 10:30am. The library will also offer a patriotic craft table at the fair. Other attractions at the Old Timer’s Fair, which benefits the maintenance of the First Congregational Church at the Common, are an ox pull, old-fashioned games, a book and bake sale, a food tent, a chicken barbecue, and live music all afternoon.

On June 19, Hanover Parks & Rec will host Hanover’s 265th Birthday Party at Sustainability Park from 4 to 5pm. At this drop-in event, the town of Hanover will provide free ice cream novelties and Popsicles for kids of all ages. Expect music, yard games, and birthday party hats—and maybe some surprise guests.

 

A Special Appearance

Pig and Wolf, Hanover’s iconic unofficial mascots, will appear in various capacities this year to help celebrate Hanover’s 265th. The original chainsaw wood carvings, which are now “retired,” were made by former Ray School art teacher Willy Black for Bill Hammond, who gifted Pig to his wife in 2001, followed by Wolf in 2002. Bill, a now-retired local teacher and principal, lived across from the Hanover Co-op at the time, and his wife’s Pig and Wolf statues became local celebrities. People stopping at the three-way intersection looked to see what the statues were wearing that month and where they had been placed in the garden.

In 2011, Willy helped design fiberglass replica molds of Pig and Wolf that were painted in various colorful outfits by local artists. These were auctioned off as a fundraiser to have the playground installed at Tenney Park. Many of those replicas are still displayed around Hanover, including at the Parks & Recreation Department, the Ray School, and Hanover High. Bill is writing a children’s story about Pig and Wolf, illustrated by Hanover High student Olivia Gemignani, called The Adventures of Pig & Wolf. Printed copies should be available by July 4. Also, Ray School students will make Pig and Wolf hats in art class this year and can wear them for the Fourth of July parade.

Don’t Miss the Parade

The Fourth of July holiday parade and celebration in Hanover is traditionally one of the most family-friendly events in the Upper Valley, says Liz Burdette, assistant director of Hanover Parks & Recreation. The event draws in many participants from the surrounding area due to the child-friendly hours of 10am to 1pm and the noncommercial vibe. The parade usually includes attractions such as vintage cars and a variety of floats from local organizations such as the Appalachian Trail Angels. This year, kids 12 and under are encouraged to join the parade with Shoebox Miniature Floats that they can make at the Howe Library ahead of the date, a drop-in activity from 1 to 3pm between June 29 and July 3.

“We’re always looking for businesses, families, groups, or patriotic pets to participate in the parade. We do a parade float contest with cash prizes,” says Liz. “We would love to have floats celebrating Hanover’s 265th anniversary.” Interested revelers can find a parade signup form at the RWB Community Center or email [email protected]. Liz stresses that they will need more volunteers for the day of the parade, and those willing and able should contact the Parks & Rec department.

The Fourth of July parade begins alongside the SAU parking lot at 10am and winds its way through downtown Hanover, turning right at the post office, going up Main Street, and ending at the Green. Local children line the streets, eager to pick up handfuls of candy thrown by parade participants who are not riding in vehicles.

 

Lots More Family Fun

Once the crowd makes it to the Green, families find a variety of entertainment. Everything is free except for the food, which is generally sold to fundraise for local charities. Kids rush to get in line for the professional face painters and balloon animal station. The Howe Library will be providing a tie-dye table this year with Hanover’s 265th T-shirts. Expect music from the Tricksters on the central stage.

The popular Lou’s Pie Eating Contest (one event for kids and one for adults) will start at 12:30pm under the Arts and Crafts tent. Make sure to sign up before the event at the tent. This year a hot dog eating contest will also be added. Two horse-drawn wagons will provide rides around the Green, and a series of old-fashioned games such as sack races and a sponge relay race will be offered. For this game, participants dunk a sponge in water, run to a bucket on the other side of the field, and squeeze it out. The first participant to fill their bucket wins. This year, the town plans to add reuseable water balloons for one of the games to improve sustainability. Also, the “kick the ball into the corn holes” activity provides budding soccer stars with a fun challenge. 

The popular Touch a Truck on the Green allows children to climb into emergency vehicles, including a fire truck and ambulance. Lieutenant Matt Ufford from the Hanover Police Department is hoping to bring a few extra trucks to the event, pending Dartmouth Green regulations.

Liz is working with the Hanover Historical Society to have period reenactors with demos from 1761. In addition, local organizations, such as Sustainable Hanover, will have informational tents.

Traditionally, hot dogs, hamburgers, and drinks are sold by the Rotary Club on the Green. However, refreshment options will be expanded this year to include additional food venders on College Street, which will be closed from traffic for the event.

“I’m really excited!” says Liz about the many activities scheduled for local families this year. “It’s a lot of planning, but the best part of these events is seeing the people celebrating. These types of bigger opportunities come along only every once in a while, so we really want to embrace them and see what we can do to have the community enjoy themselves and appreciate the history.”