Where’s the Best Fireworks Viewing in Decatur?
July 5, 2009 | 9:53 amWalking the streets the evening of 4th of July is always an interesting study in Decatur. People milling about and tucked into corners that are usually void of any life. The 315 pocket park? Crammed with residents. Cafe Lily’s cracked parking spots? An outdoor 4th celebration. A closed Ponce? Playing host to a family with a Frisbee, a skateboarding youngster, kids on bikes, and a couple sitting on a blanket where folks usually park there cars.
I could go on. Go on and detail how I thought about the idea posted here to close Ponce on the weekend and whether it would help or hurt the city. How there were thousands of people congregating on the Square for little more than a little music and a fireworks show.
But what I really wondered was, where is the best place to watch the fireworks in Decatur? Is it in a churchyard? A parking lot? Atop one of the condos? Where do you watch and why?
![Picture of the day [34]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2766/4328709238_033fd33ecc_t.jpg "Picture of the day [34]")
We always watch from the Agnes Scott campus at the corner of McDonough and College. It’s a nice view and you don’t have to crane your neck. Plus, the train always seems to come racing through and that’s fun for the kids.
We take the kids to the same spot–and every year it has been pretty good: the kids all run around, everyone brings a cooler and has a good time. The view of the fireworks is decent.
Last year, we parked on the top floor of the Wachovia deck and got to see several other fireworks displays in the distance (we think they were from the Druid Hills Country Club, Lenox Square and perhaps Centennial Olympic Park). Last night, we arrived on the square in time to stake out a spot near the bandstand, intending to enjoy the music for a while then head back to the parking garage in time to watch the fireworks. But we were having too much fun people-watching on the square and decided to stick around to watch the fireworks there. It was quite an enjoyable evening. Another fun night in Decatur!
First Christian Church at Ponce and Nelson Ferry, across from the Post Office, has become quite the place. I liked it a bit more when it was less crowded but it’s crowded for a reason. It’s a good view with less of the loud noise that scares kids. There’s lots of Decatur kids so it’s an instant playground. And the church provides water, lemonade (not fresh-squeezed, sorry picky folks), and snacks for voluntary donations.
We also hit the green space next to Agnes Scott. That has been our favorite spot for the last several years.
It’s fun to enjoy the view from the top of one of the nearby parking decks, but there’s a downside to being very close: the smoke. As an aside, I really wish the competing fireworks organizers could get in sync so that all of the displays don’t happen at once around the metro area. It would be great to be able to watch them all in sequence, but I suppose everyone wants to start and finish as early as possible.
Anges Scott as well. The sprinklers made for an interesting time this year ….
After years of being on the Square helping with the event, I decided to tour around the City to see all of the different viewing locations I’d heard about for years. The Agnes Scott greenspace was packed as was the front lawn and folks turned the rail road right of way into a version of a drive-in movie lot with cars lined up. Actually all of the spots that folks have listed were crowded — and we thought the square was packed! Looks like we need to take our crowd estimates multiple by five.
We decided to check out the lake at Avondale Estates and it was a lovely evening as well. Probably back to Decatur next year, though.