Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. The annual Rubber Duck race had over 500 entries with children and their families cheering on their ducks as they floated to the finish line. Below: Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Tom DesOrmeaux and Caroline Cobb, 2, don patriotic apparel and wave a flag while awaiting the start of the Sky Valley Independence Day rubber duck race.

Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. Eventual 5K winner Luke Napier leads the 909 participants at the beginning of the July 6 Rabun Ramble on Lake Rabun Road. The annual Independence Day event has its largest-ever turnout.

Wade Cheek/The Clayton Tribune. A record 1,564 participants take off during the beginning stages of the Lake Burton Fun Run. In the center, the eventual overall winner Nolan Weisdorfer of Holly, Mich.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Hundreds of people enjoyed the festivities at The Dillard House, which is the last Fourth of July hosted by the Dillard family. Below: Natalie Dillard took this picture of the biggest fireworks show yet at The Dillard House July 6.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Mary Lou Goehring from the Georgia Cameo Society dresses in 1800s fashion and presents a summer reading program describing the events that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that eventually became the National Anthem of the United States of America. Children participate in the demonstration.

Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. The Ski Patriots again brought their own version of patriotism to Lake Burton as water skiers went around the 27-mile trek of the lake on Sunday, July 7.

Submitted photos/Tallulah Gorge State Park. A drone overhead of rescue crew members has a spotlight lighting the floor of Tallulah Gorge so rescuers can cross the river on a call to rescue two subjects Thursday, June 20, around 9:36 p.m.