Next up, Christmas by the Sea arrives Dec. 5
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Following on the heels of Thanksgiving and the Rockland Festival of Lights, Camden, Rockport and Lincolnville and the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce are making final preparations for the annual Christmas by the Sea weekend.
The big kick-off of the three-day event is a holiday parade through downtown Camden to deliver Santa Claus to Harbor Park, where he presides over the lighting of the town's Christmas tree overlooking the harbor.
On the eve of Christmas by the Sea, P.A.W.S. Animal Adoption Center hosts Auction for the Animals an annual event with both live and silent auction items, and a bounty of donated goods and services. All proceeds benefit the care and adoption of the pets taken in by the shelter.
Beginning as early as 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 5, Merryspring Nature Park holds its Holiday Bazaar, there are tours of the Christmas Candlelight Home, A Walk Through Bethlehem. Windsor Chairmakers and Camden National Bank will open houses, the former all day and the latter from 4 to 6 p.m., while the First Congregational Church will be filled with the sounds of piano and flute during a lunchtime interlude in the sanctuary. From 6 to 8 p.m. the bank will also offer horse and carriage rides during their open house.
Santa arrives Friday in West Rockport at Midcoast Recreation Center in Rockport, and the Christmas by the Sea opening ceremonies get underway at Camden Public Library at 4:30 p.m. Holiday musical selections will be performed in the library by Camden Hills Regional High School vocal and instrumental student and everybody is encouraged to bring new or like-new hats, mittens, gloves and scarves to decorate the library's Hat & Mitten Tree.
The parade starts at 6 p.m. and the Harbor Park tree lighting is at 6:45 p.m. with caroling and hot drinks provided by Camden Lions Club.
Atlantic Ballet Company performs a full-length version of the holiday favorite, The Nutcracker, at the Camden Opera House at 7:30 p.m.
Get a good night's sleep Friday, because Saturday kicks off early with the Rockport Garden Club's Holly Berry Fair from 8 a.m. to noon at the Rockport Opera House. The holiday fair includes festively decorated gingerbread houses, which sell out fast, a craft boutique, Cook's Corner, vintage and costume jewelry and baked goods.
For those who like to run, the Thomas F. Chester Memorial Frozen 5K gets underway with registration beginning at 9 a.m. at Point Looked. The West Bay Rotary Club sponsors this annual 5K, which benefits the ALS charity.
Aldermere Farm is hosting the Beltie Holiday, while the Frist Congregational and St. Thomas Episcopal churches are both holding fairs with a variety of both handmade goods and food.
Also in Rockport, Hoboken Gardens is hosting an open house and Santa Claus arrives by boat at Rockport Harbor, followed by free photos with the jolly elf at Rockport Marine.
The Home for the Holidays House Tour and Christmas Candlelight Home continue Saturday, while the annual Merryspring Holiday Bazaar opens its doors to the public at 10 a.m.
Next, Santa arrives by boat in Camden Harbor, followed by the traditional story hour with Santa in the rotunda at Camden Public Library. At 1 p.m., meet up with Santa at the YMCA Teen Center, where free photos will be taken and Santa will be taking children's Christmas wishes.
As the sun begins to wane Saturday afternoon, head over to Lincolnville Beach, where the bonfire will be lit at 3:30 p.m. The beach Christmas tree will be lit at 4 p.m. and there will be caroling, with Santa Claus arriving by fire engine around 4:30 p.m.
Also at 4 p.m., four handbell groups and a soloist, Amy Rollins, will perform a holiday concert, "Ringing in the Season" at First Congregational Church on Elm Street in Camden. Chestnut Street Baptist Church will present "A Walk Through Bethlehem," from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Sunday morning brings another day of the Merryspring Holiday Bazaar, as well as open houses at Hoboken Gardens and the Christmas Candlelight Home. Horse and carriage rides will be offered from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the Hawthorn Inn will help get you warm afterward with cookies, a warm drink and holiday music.
Sunday brings another opportunity to see Atlantic Ballet Company's production of The Nutcracker, and at 7 p.m. Anne Dodson & Friends perform their 27th annual Seasonal Concert at Camden Congregational Church.
Related links:
• 2014 Christmas by the Sea Schedule
