Start digging through your closet for that American flag shirt. The Fourth of July is upon us, and residents in DeKalb have plenty of ways to celebrate.
Avondale Estates
Festivites in Avondale Estates begin with the classic Independence Day morning parade. The hour-long parade begins at 10 a.m. and runs down Clarendon Avenue. Everyone is invited to participate in the community parade.
Later that evening, enjoy a night of food and fun at Lake Avondale. A local Boy Scout troop starts selling hot dogs and more at 5 p.m. and a concert with live music begins at 7:30 p.m. When the sun goes down, fireworks will light up the sky to properly celebrate the holiday.
Chamblee
Held at Keswick Park Soccer Field, Chamblee's Fourth of July Celebration features a bike parade for kids to enter, in which they decorate their bicycles, tricycles, wagons and more in patriotic colors. The quarter-mile parade starts at 5 p.m. and ends with participation prizes for all who entered as well as awards for the best decorated vehicles.
The holiday festivities also include train rides, a corn hole tournament, live music by Departure, food vendors and a state-of-the-art fireworks show.
Decatur
If you prefer the backyard cookout atmosphere of this American holiday, a local Decatur restaurant is offering that from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Former Top Chef candidate Kevin Gillespie owns Revival, a southern, family-style restaurant, but it has an extension in its backyard that gives patrons a more laid-back experience. The Communion Beer Garden, which opened in 2015, is an outdoor gathering space. Purchase $5 tokens to pay for items from the food truck or the bar, or to buy games like horseshoes, darts and Giant Jenga.
For the Fourth of July, the food menu will include a chopped, whole-hog barbecue sandwich and Brunswick stew. Enjoy cold beer, communal seating at picnic tables and all the fun of a backyard barbecue — without the planning or cleanup.
After filling up at the Communion Beer Garden, head to downtown Decatur to watch the Pied Piper Parade. This evening parade is a precursor to the annual fireworks display and concert, but let your children know that no candy will be thrown at this parade due to safety concerns. The parade lineup begins at 5:30 p.m. and the procession starts at 6 p.m., ending at the square for the presentation of the colors to kick off a night of music by the Callanwolde Concert Band. The concert starts at 7 p.m. and fireworks begin at dark.
Dunwoody
Despite last year's rainy Independence Day, the Dunwoody Fourth of July Parade had more than 2,500 participants and 32,000 spectators. The event featured local celebrities, fire trucks, pirate ships, horses, marching bands and clowns on roller skates. The theme this year is "Duty, Honor and Country," and the two-mile parade steps off from the intersection of Mount Vernon Road and Jett Ferry Road at 9 a.m. Spectators are welcome to enjoy a family festival at the end of the parade.
Stone Mountain
In case you want to celebrate this holiday more than once over the weekend, Stone Mountain has its Fantastic Fourth Celebration July 1-4. Each night features a laser light show on the mountainside at 9:30 p.m., new and improved with three flame cannons that send fire almost a hundred feet into the air. After the laser show, a special fireworks finale immediately follows to salute the holiday in style. And don't worry — the shows are the same every night, so you can visit anytime over the weekend!
