A heap of celebration with a side of politics

Parades, fireworks, naturalization ceremonies, and music ushered in the Fourth of July as the United States marked 239 years as an independent nation.

In Washington, heavy rainstorms drenched the region, forcing the cancellation of an annual July Fourth picnic for military members and their families on the South Lawn of the White House.

But many festivities proceeded as scheduled, including a fife and drum corps, parade, and concerts on the National Mall. As morning rains cleared, the capital's holiday parade kicked off.

The Air Force Band was performing Saturday evening on the Washington Monument grounds. The big event is the "Capitol Fourth" concert on the west lawn of the Capitol, featuring Barry Manilow and the National Symphony Orchestra. President Obama was scheduled to make brief remarks prior to fireworks.

Visitors to the National Archives building were invited to sign replicas of the Declaration of Independence. Some signed with a quill pen while others used modern implements.

The National Archives - which houses the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights - also hosted a reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Naturalization ceremonies big and small were held across the U.S. Officials say over 4,000 new citizens were welcomed in more than 50 ceremonies from July 1 through July 4.

Parades across Iowa and New Hampshire bore clear reminders of the race for the White House: Red balloons promoting "Jeb! 2016," a tractor draped in a Rick Perry banner, and dutiful volunteers holding signs and chanting.

Former Govs. Jeb Bush of Florida, Rick Perry of Texas, and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, as well as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) worked the crowd in Amherst, N.H., while Hillary Rodham Clinton marched in a parade in New Hampshire's North Country. New Jersey's Gov. Christie and Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) spent the holiday in New Hampshire's Lakes Region, as Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley met voters in Iowa.

Graham and Perry ran through the streets waving, shouting jokes, and posing for photos. "Sorry the government's so screwed up!" Graham shouted to the crowd numerous times, often followed by an apology to any children in the crowd about the future of Social Security.

The two shook hands in the street, prompting jokes of a Perry-Graham presidential ticket.

Clinton was trailed by a band of supporters waving signs and separated by a long rope from the pack of journalists that followed. "I'll tell you what - we need to get a Democratic president," Clinton told one woman along the route who asked about the health-care overhaul. "I'm going to not only defend it, I'm going to make it even better."

A man carrying a sign that read "Benghazi" also followed the candidate. Alluding to her time representing New York in the Senate, he screamed repeatedly, "Carpetbagger!"

On Friday in Utah, a pilot who delivered candy to children in Berlin at the end of World War II delivered sweets to the city of Orem. Gail Halvorsen, 94, dropped 1,000 chocolate bars attached to tiny parachutes at Scera Park.