By Chase Ladner

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Both Natchez residents and visitors escaped the crowds for Fourth of July to catch the fireworks.

Large crowds of people gathered near the VUE Hotel Friday evening to peer over the Mississippi River and get a front row view of the dazzling display of colors in the night sky.

Natchez resident Rodney Hayes and his family have made it a point to see the Natchez firework show every year, but the traffic has made him seek out new spots to go see the show.

“If you go through town, it would take a week to get back through,” Hayes said.

James and Donna Pearce came to Natchez a year ago and caught the fireworks not long after they came into town.

Last year, the couple found a patch of grass to watch the fireworks show, but this time they wanted to splurge.

“Grass just doesn’t cut it for me, I’m getting old,” James said sitting outside of his room at the Vue Hotel while sitting on a patio chair.

Besides the explosions in the sky, the families surrounding them provided additional entertainment.

“Also, we have a cute baby to entertain us,” Donna said pointing out one of the families camped out in the grass.

Dozens of local and visiting families found spots in the grass and in the parking lot trying to find a spot to watch the show.

“A lot of people from Brookhaven came down,” said Lane Butler of Brookhaven.

Butler came with his wife so that their children could see a fireworks show for the first time.

“They love it,” Butler said. “They like anything that goes boom.”