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Parades, fireworks, naturalization ceremonies, eating contests and music ushered in the Fourth of July as the United States marked 239 years as an independent nation on Saturday. Here were some highlights of Independence Day celebrations:

Music, cultural celebrations on National Mall • Heavy rainstorms drenched the region around the White house Saturday, forcing a cancellation of an annual July Fourth picnic for military members and their families on the South Lawn.

Still, many festivities in Washington proceeded as scheduled, including a fife and drum corps, parade and concerts on the National Mall.

As morning rains cleared, the capital's Fourth of July parade kicked off. The parade featured marching bands, floats and balloons with plenty of red, white and blue.

The U.S. Air Force Band performed 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.

New citizens sworn in • Naturalization ceremonies big and small were held across the U.S.

The director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Baltimore district administered the oath of allegiance to 40 people from 27 countries during a ceremony at The Engineers Club in Baltimore.

In Plymouth, Vt., 20 people became U.S. citizens at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site. The great-granddaughter of President and Mrs. Coolidge sang the national anthem.

Officials say over 4,000 new citizens were welcomed in more than 50 naturalization ceremonies across the country from July 1 through July 4.

Presidental hopefuls campaign in parades • Parades across Iowa and New Hampshire were 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 South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham worked the crowd in Amherst, while Hillary Rodham Clinton marched in a parade in New Hampshire's North Country. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio spent the holiday in New Hampshire's Lakes Region as Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley met voters in Iowa.

Declaration signing • Visitors to the National Archives building in Washington were invited to sign replicas of the Declaration of Independence.

Some signed with a quill pen while others used modern writing instruments.

The National Archives — which houses the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights — also hosted a reading of the Declaration of Independence by re-enactors portraying Abigail Adams, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington.

Concerts, a parade and beer • Philadelphia marks the holiday with a Celebration of Freedom ceremony, a parade through its historic district and a concert and fireworks on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The Celebration of Freedom is the 50th anniversary of a protest outside Independence Hall that is a milestone in the fight for gay rights.