ORONO – A colorful crowd beat drums, sang peace songs, ate cake and discussed alternatives to President George W. Bush’s political agenda Thursday afternoon at the University of Maine during a counterrally to the president’s Washington, D.C., inauguration.

Dozens of students and peace movement veterans attended the event, called the “People’s Inauguration,” despite the snowy day and slippery roads.

Ron and Lee Davis of the Orono Peace Group, warmly dressed against the cold, held up placards with peace slogans on the UM mall near Fogler Library.”We think the president has de-emphasized the needs at home, which have been set aside in order for him to pursue his goals overseas,” Ron Davis said, speaking loudly to be heard over the sound of drums.

Jim Wagner, also of the Orono Peace Group, agreed. “We prefer diplomatic solutions to world problems rather than military solutions,” he said.

The drumming, which punctuated the rally, came from Peter Baldwin of Brooks, who enthusiastically beat his homemade “spruce moose,” a 32-inch-wide drum made of moose hide.

“The original spruce moose was built back at the beginning of the Persian Gulf War in 1991,” the Brooks man said.

He said that since the start of the war with Iraq, he has taken his drum to peace and protest events across the country.

When the rally moved indoors to a room in the Memorial Union for brief speeches from area political and social groups, it was clear that the mood of the day was hopeful despite disappointment over the outcome of the 2004 presidential election.

“The spirit we want to have today is very positive,” said Doug Allen of the Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine. “We want to further the real people’s agenda.”

The Peace & Justice choir urged the crowd to join in a protest song. “We are gentle, angry people and we are singing for our lives,” the group sang.

Eve Briere of Quebec City, a UM senior majoring in international affairs and a member of the Maine Peace Action Committee, wore a homemade T-shirt that proclaimed, “Think Outside the Bucks” and prepared Fair Trade coffee for after the rally.

“Personally, I try not to be too emotional about it, because I’m Canadian for one thing,” she said. “I can’t even vote. But I think that if we have to hit the bottom before we get back up, then so be it.”

Halfway through the event, three youths from the nonprofit group Food Not Bombs lugged a large pot of vegetable soup and a plate of aromatic breads into the room.

“By offering this food for free, we offer an alternative to capitalism’s greed,” member Brent Hall said. “We are sharing that another way of life is possible.”

Ariel Harris-Porada, 14, of Brooksville had helped the Bangor-based group cook the soup that day.

The Liberty School freshman, her hair a wild profusion of dreadlocks, said that she thinks her generation is “definitely interested” in the progressive movement.

“It’s good to do things that you believe in and show your support for,” she said.

Protesters in Portland also expressed their opposition to Bush’s policies and agenda.

Activists gathered in Monument Square to display placards critical of Bush, voice opposition to his policies and pledge to continue to work for change.

At a separate gathering, Maine Democrats called on Bush to protect Social Security, safeguard the environment and look out for the interests of working families.

“We’re here to send a message as Mainers and as Americans,” said Patrick Colwell, the newly elected party chairman. “President Bush, the message is the only mandate you have is to represent all the people of the United States.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.