Plenty to Celebrate Away From the Mall
The Patriotic Mark the Fourth With Barbecues, Local Parades
Dominic Egender, 1, of Great Falls vies for awards in patriotism and adorability at the Great Falls baby parade.
(By Ricky Carioti -- The Washington Post)
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Thursday, July 5, 2007
With families arriving early yesterday to stake out prime spots for watching fireworks, tourists seeking to join the country's biggest birthday party and a few protesters to boot, it may have seemed that everyone was crowded onto the Mall.
Some in the region decided that anywhere but there was a better place to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Faye Jones, 55, and her family began barbecuing under one of the gazebos at Fort Lincoln Park in Northeast about 9 a.m. Instead of heading downtown, she said: "We're going to stay here. Been there, done that."
Besides, she added, "I can see the fireworks from my house."
Nearby, the Hunter family began setting up for a reunion, which was to begin about noon. Larry Downing, 49, said 200 family members, representing six generations, were expected.
Some people around Washington said they didn't want to deal with the crowds or the hassle of added security because of recent terrorist threats in Britain.
Al Smith, 72, headed to Fort Lincoln to play tennis yesterday morning. He said he had been thinking about going downtown for the fireworks, but after watching the news and hearing of security checks, he changed his mind.
"Slowly, my wariness started climbing," he said, adding that he would probably stay home to watch Wimbledon.
Others said they preferred the idea of small-town celebrations and gatherings with family.
Terry Henderson and his family got to Takoma Park at 10:30 a.m. to set up for their barbecue.
"Have to get here early enough to get a good spot," said Henderson, 41. He secured a space on the edge of the park, where his grill was smoking as he cooked chicken, hamburgers and ribs. Henderson said he and his family have gathered in the park on the Fourth for two years. In the evening, they planned to set off their own fireworks, as did Tonie Carson and her family, also barbecuing in Takoma Park instead of heading to the Mall.
"We just wanted to bring the kids out. It's not a crowd thing," said Carson, 31.
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