Chattanooga’s 2013 July 4th Celebrations and Fireworks

Independence Day, Fourth of July and July 4 are just a few of the names given to the day Americans celebrate the founding of this great nation. Below is a list of celebrations across the Chattanooga area. Find one that suits you and have a great time honoring this special day. 
The  events that include fireworks are marked with an *. 
Please note: some of the events have been cancelled or rescheduled. The updated information is included. 

Credit: Brad Snoke

Friday, June 28, 2013

*Freedom Festival at LaFayette, GA. Fireworks, family fun, food and fantastic music are the theme for this annual Freedom Festival. The times are 6-10 p.m. at the municipal park on 638 S. Main St. Following the music, fireworks will begin around 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

*Coolidge Park – Chattanooga “2013 Pops on the River”. This is a free concert by the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Orchestra and Fireworks. The concert will begin at 8:00 and fireworks will follow afterwards, around 9:45. Free shuttles are provided from UNUM parking lots on 4^th and 5^th street to Coolidge Park from 6:00 till 11:00. UPDATE: Will occur as planned. The concert will only be canceled for extreme weather. Fireworks will only be canceled due to pouring rain.

*Ft. Oglethorpe Polo Fields -- Ft. Oglethorpe GA. “Patriotism at the Post” will be held at Barnhardt Circle. Park is $5.00 per car. Children’s events begin at 7:30.  Fireworks begin at 9:00. UPDATE: Canceled with no plans to reschedule. 

*Collegedale Greenway at the Veteran’s Memorial Park - Collegedale, TN - Collegedale’s Annual Fireworks Display and Concert. The concert will begin at 7:00pm. Fireworks will follow at dark. UPDATE: Rescheduled due to inclement weather* New date is September 1, 2013.

Credit: Brad Snoke

Thursday, July 4, 2013

*AT&T Field – Downtown Chattanooga, Lookouts vs Jacksonville Suns. Fireworks will occur after the game.

*Lake Winnepesaukah – Rossville, GA. The Spectacular Fireworks Display will start at 10:00. The fireworks will be shot over the water creating a fantastic display that has become a Lake Winnie tradition. Park admission fees apply.

*Bradley Square Mall – Cleveland, TN Mount Olive Ministries will set off a spectacular set of fireworks at 9:30 at the Bradley Square Mall. Best of all the stores will stay open late with special promotions. Larry Hill Ford and Larry Hill Imports are the sponsors of this year’s fireworks show.

*L & N Depot – Etowah, TN Etowah Old Fashion Fourth of July Celebration begins at 7:30am and lasts until 11:00pm.

*South Pittsburg – South Pittsburg, TN at Playground Paradise/South Pittsburg Pool from 11am to 9:00 pm. Entertainment begins at 6:00 CDT. Fireworks begin at 9:00 CDT.

*Soddy Daisy Lake – Soddy Daisy, TN 4th of July celebration begins at 9am at Soddy Lake and ends with fireworks at dark. There will be a car show, arts, crafts, food, fun and a lot more. UPDATE: Canceled due to weather. Rescheduled for Oct. 5th in conjunction with the annual Pumpkin Festival.

*Signal Mountain - The Signal Mountain Lions' BBQ & Fireworks Display will be held on Thursday, July 4th at the playground behind the Signal Mountain Golf & Country Club from 11:00AM until the barbecue is gone to be followed by a fireworks display that will begin at dusk.

Credit: Brad Snoke

Friday, July 5, 2013

*AT&T Field – Downtown Chattanooga, Lookouts vs Jacksonville Suns. Fireworks will occur after the game.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

*Lake Winnepesaukah – Rossville, GA, Spectacular Fireworks Display, starting at 10:00 the fireworks will be shot over the water creating a fantastic display that has become a Lake Winnie tradition. Park admission fees apply.

*Veteran’s Park - Spring City, TN, Shake the Lake.  This is an all-day event featuring live music, food, games, pageant, contests, duck race and fireworks at dark.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting “Things to do in Chattanooga”. This blog is where you can read up on all the fun and interesting things to do in Chattanooga.  Feel free to comment or tell your story about Chattanooga.

Two new parks to open in downtown Chattanooga

Chattanooga citizens will have two new parks to play in by spring 2013. They are the Main Terrain Art Park, off of Main Street, and Stringer’s Ridge Nature Park on the North Shore. These two parks will provide a diversity of activities for locals and tourists alike; bolstering Chattanooga’s image as a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and will continue the urban renewal that began over 20 years ago with the opening of the Tennessee Aquarium.

The Main Terrain Art Park will open in three weeks, around January 24, 2013, and is the first downtown park opened in 15 years. It is located at the corner of West Main Street and Broad Street. The park was created from scratch, similar to Coolidge Park which opened in 1997. The area holding this park was just a few years ago an empty grass/rock lot. Now the area is a park that is highlighted by interactive sculptures, exercise stations and an island of green amidst a sea of concrete.  

The second park, Stringer’s Ridge Nature Park is scheduled to open sometime this spring. This park is a collaboration of The Trust for Public Land, the Tennessee River Gorge Trust and the City of Chattanooga.  Almost five years ago, the portion of Stringer’s Ridge that is set to become a nature park was up for residential development. Understanding how important this area was to the history and “greenness” of Chattanooga since it is one of the last completely forested areas in the area, these three groups went together to acquire the property saving it from becoming yet another set of condos.

According to Amber Lanier Nagle in an article published in "Get Out Chattanooga" (April, 2012), the 102-acre park will open in two phases, the first of which will be this spring. Phase one will have around 10 miles of new and enhanced old trails, an overlook area, parking, marked trail heads and trail signs. The finished product will have six trail heads, three have been earmarked for neighborhood access; a fly-over bridge; and a wooden elevated platform for visitors to view the Tennessee River as it flows through downtown Chattanooga. There are plans for integrated seating and interpretive exhibits that will highlight the history of the area. Five types of trails (map of trails) will be available designated by skill level ranging from an all-abilities trail that is family-friendly to am intermediate-level hikers and trail runners trail.  There is also a trail available for intermediate-level hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers.

This area of Stringer’s Ridge has been used for years by mountain bikers, hikers and the homeless alike. Many of the trails incorporated into this park are already in existence and have been “spruced up” for better access. Within the past two years, my husband acquired permission to metal detect the area and we went on a little backpacking trip through there. At first the trail was pretty easy to follow, although we did have to step around someone sleeping across the trail. A little ways into our hike, we came across a “tent city” of homeless individuals and the trails were full of trash.  As we plunged deeper up the ridge, the trails became more difficult to follow but were cleaner. Eventually, we came across the foundations for some old homes and one wooden home that was falling in. I am intrigued to see if these historic sites are a part of the park and, if so, what the planners have done with them. Overall, I enjoyed hiking this area when it was in the rough, and cannot wait for the opening this spring.

Cool Accessories for the hiker and mountain biker in all of us....