A Hometown Holiday
Maine?s holiday celebrations are sure to make you merry and bright this year.
The community celebrations that Maine's cities, towns, and villages hold at this time of the year offer a great way to get into the spirit of the season. You can even pick up a few gifts in a merry setting. The following list, arranged alphabetically by town, describes some of the happenings across the state. Call ahead to confirm dates and times if you're traveling any significant distance, as some specifics may change.Bangor
On December 3, the Queen City kicks off its holiday celebrations with the Festival of Lights Parade, produced by the Rotary Club of Bangor, with a tree lighting in West Market Square at 4 p.m. 207-947-0307. www.bangorregion.com
Bath
The city of ships kicks off its Old Fashioned Christmas on November 26 with a holiday parade, tree-lighting ceremony, merchants' open houses, Christmas caroling, and jolly old St. Nick at City Hall. This city nestled on the Kennebec continues its yuletide celebrations until December 31 with the YMCA's annual festival of trees, open houses at Maine Maritime Museum, area inns, and the historical societies. The festival also includes craft fairs, shows, holiday bazaars, trolley caroling, the Old Fashioned Gingerbread Social, the Morse High School variety show, the Pajama Story Time at the Patten Free Library, and Sing It's Christmas at the Chocolate Church. The 2005 season closes with the ringing of the Paul Revere Bell on New Year's Eve at high noon. 207-442-7291. www.visitbath.com
Belfast
An Old Fashioned Christmas includes caroling, lighting of the Christmas tree at City Hall, Santa, B-and-B open houses, and ornament-making for the children. Events get under way December 9 & 10 starting at 5:30 p.m. Friday on the waterfront. Shops will be open late with cookies, cider, and costumes. 207-338-8366.
Bethel
From Thanksgiving weekend through December 24, a Country Christmas in Bethel keeps this pretty village in the mountains of western Maine alive with holiday cheer. Events include the Taste of Bethel, a theme wreath auction, horse-drawn wagon rides, shopping specials, open houses, a living nativity, and Christmas tree lighting. 207-824-2282. www.bethelmaine.com
Boothbay Harbor
The Harbor Lights Festival on December 3 is an entire day of holiday fun for the whole family. The celebration starts when Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive by boat, followed by horse-drawn wagon rides, a Christmas craft fair, visiting time with the Clauses, lighting of the Christmas tree, and carols. The evening is capped off by a spectacular lighted boat parade through the inner harbor. 207-633-2353. Then on December 10 tour beautiful and intriguing homes in the Boothbay region, all decked out for the holiday season, with Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens' Winter Wonderland Holiday House Tour. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 207-633-4333. www.boothbayharbor.com
Camden
The lighting of the star atop Mount Battie signals the start of the holiday season on the midcoast, and the Christmas by the Sea weekend celebration, December 2 to 4, gets things off on a jolly note. Festivities include musical entertainment, a parade, tree-lighting ceremony, horse-drawn wagon rides, tours of inns, and the arrival of Santa by lobsterboat -- all within a snowball's throw of the sea. 207-236-4404. www.visitcamden.com
Eastport
Eastport's Festival of Lights will encompass all of December and then some, starting the day after Thanksgiving with an early bird pajama party and culminating with a New Year's Eve celebration and dawn ceremony at the breakwater, along with the Santa Parade. Children and those young at heart can visit Santa at the Peavey Memorial Library with a children's visiting time and a children's book giveaway the weekend of December 10. The Boat Parade will happen the weekend of December 17 along with burn barrels -- which are large metal containers used for burning wood -- caroling, s'mores, and extended business hours. New Year's Eve features a dance with businesses providing appetizers and holding evening hours, along with a celebration of neighboring New Brunswick's New Year at 11 p.m. and Eastport's own New Year's celebration at midnight in the Bank Square Plaza. 207-853-2400 or 207-853-4644.
Ellsworth
"Christmas Traditions" is this year's theme for the annual Christmas Parade that rolls its festive way through downtown Ellsworth on December 3 at 11 a.m., with Santa strolling ahead of marching bands and colorful floats. The fourteenth annual Poinsettia Ball will also be held that evening, with dancing around an eighteen-foot poinsettia tree at the Ellsworth Holiday Inn -- all to benefit the Maine Coast Memorial Hospital. 207-667-2617. www.ellsworthchamber.org
Farmington
The late inventor of the earmuff, Chester Greenwood, gets a parade in his honor in his hometown of Farmington. The Chester Greenwood Parade will be held on December 3 at 11 a.m. and includes a parade of floats decorated on the earmuff-based theme. Also on December 3 the Rotary Club will auction off twenty-eight beautifully decorated Christmas trees, with proceeds benefiting various charitable community organizations. 207-778-4215. www.farmingtonchamber.org
Fort Kent
The twelfth annual Dickens of a Christmas kicks off on November 20, with merchants in Victorian dress, Père Noel and his helpers, merchants' sales, and drawings. At 6 p.m. on November 26 the sixth annual Christmas Tree Lighting at the Fort Kent Public Library will light up the winter night, and reports are that Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be attending. The twenty-fifth annual Greater Fort Kent Area Chamber of Commerce Arts and Crafts Fair will be held November 26 & 27 in the University of Maine-Fort Kent gymnasium and will feature a juried fair with homemade crafts, various artists, food, and drawings. 207-834-5354. www.fortkentchamber.com
Freeport
You can find more than bargains in Freeport during the holiday season. The twelfth annual Sparkle Weekend, December 2 through December 11, is full of dazzling events. The holiday celebration kicks off on December 1 at 6 p.m. with the Main Street Magic Parade of Lights. Other events include carolers, a talking Christmas tree, Santa and his helpers, and horse-drawn carriage rides. On December 2, the Tuba Christmas Concert at 2 p.m. is a yuletide extravaganza unlike any other in Maine, with fifty or so tubas harrumphing and oompahing favorite holiday tunes at the L.L. Bean Discovery Park. Then, on December 3, the town's Christmas tree gets lit at 4 p.m. amid carol singing at the Town Hall lawn. On December 9 at 7:30 p.m. the Greater Freeport Community Chorus sings seasonal favorites at the Freeport Performing Arts Center. 207-865-1212. www.freeportusa.com
Houlton
On November 26 at 6 p.m. the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce once again brings the Santa Claus Light Parade to Houlton's Historic Market Square, with a chance to greet Santa after the procession. Refreshments will be available. 207-532-4216. www.greaterhoulton.com
Kennebunkport
On Friday, December 2, from 5:30 to 6 p.m. the Tree Lighting Ceremony in Dock Square officially starts the holiday season in Kennebunkport. Santa arrives by lobsterboat on Sunday, December 4, at 2 p.m. and will be greeted by the Children's Chorus of the Consolidated School. Follow Santa and his lobster elves through Dock Square to the Community House on Temple Street for photos courtesy of Ocean Exposure. And this is just a taste of the yuletide fun, which also includes a bonfire, open houses, holiday shopping, a historic village walking tour, crafts fairs, and caroling, all up until December 11. 207-967-0857. www.kennebunkport.org
Ogunquit
At the nineteenth annual Christmas by the Sea celebration, December 9 to 11, the beachside town of Ogunquit wakes from its winter slumber for a busy and bustling weekend. The holiday events begin at 6 p.m. on December 9 with the Ogunquit Village School Tree Lighting at Perkins Cove and a bonfire and caroling on Ogunquit Beach. Shopping, open houses, and a chowderfest will keep the Christmas spirit in the air. Also from December 9 to 11, renowned toy artist William John Woods of Ogunquit Wooden Toy opens his studio at 19 Chestnut Road, Ogunquit. 207-646-2939. www.ogunquit.org
Old Orchard Beach
The Celebrate the Season by the Sea festivities on December 4 include the thirteenth annual tree-lighting event, free horse-drawn hay wagon rides, face painting, entertainment, hot chocolate, and food. Frosty, Rudolph, and Santa's head elf will be on hand, and there will be a bonfire, caroling on the beach, and a holiday bazaar. Have your picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus, who arrive on a fire engine. 207-934-2500. www.oldorchardbeachmaine.com
Paris
You'll love Paris in the winter, especially from December 9 to 11, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the Trees and Trains celebration. The McLaughlin Foundation's barn is decked out for the holidays with a variety of dwarf and full-sized conifers, a model Grand Trunk and Bridgton-Saco train station built by schoolchildren, and an extensive garden railway system set up by the Maine Garden Railway Society. Refreshments are available, and the gift shop will be stocked with holiday gifts. 207-743-8820. www.mclaughlingarden.org
Portland
Light Up Your Holidays is downtown Portland's monthlong celebration, beginning with the annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, Friday, November 25, at 5:30 p.m. at Monument Square. Then enjoy free horse-drawn wagon rides on Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 2 to 6 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. from November 25 through December 23 with pickup and drop-off every half hour in Monument Square. From December 2 to 4, there will be tree and wreath sales at Post Office Park, and Santa Claus will make a special appearance there on Saturday, December 3. A portion of the sales from participating stores that day will be donated to a local charity. And on Thursday, December 15, from 5 to 10 p.m. participating stores will remain open until 10 p.m. for Merry Madness. Ring in the New Year on December 31 with New Year's Portland 2005. The daytime revelry includes fifty free events like ice skating, concerts, laser tag, magicians, a teen idol singing contest, and to top it off a massive fireworks display in Monument Square at twilight. 207-772-6828. www.portlandmaine.com
Presque Isle
The folks in Aroostook County start their Christmas celebration with a Holiday Light Parade at 7 p.m. on December 3 with marching bands, hayrides, a variety of floats, and of course Père Noel himself taking part in the show, which starts on North Street. 207-764-6561. www.pichamber.com
Rangeley
This lakeside town in western Maine gets its holiday festivities under way on November 26 at 6 p.m. when the Giving Tree is lighted in Lakeside Park on Main Street. Watch the lights twinkle on the tree and bring gifts for the less fortunate. Then on December 3 enjoy breakfast with Santa at the Wilhelm Reich Museum, 8 to 11 a.m. 207-864-5473. www.rangeley.org
Rockland
The Festival of Lights Celebration, November 25 through November 27, is a weekend-long prelude to Christmas in Maine's lobster capital. Festive events include Santa arriving by Coast Guard boat at the public landing, historic inns holding open houses, a tree-lighting ceremony, the downtown Parade of Lights, Santa's workshop, a family pancake breakfast, gallery night, horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, special events, and extended shopping hours. 207-596-0376. www.therealmaine.com
Searsport
A Victorian Christmas at the Penobscot Marine Museum on December 10 & 11 features the museum's Fowler-True-Ross House decorated by local florists and open Friday evening and Saturday for all to tour. Admission is free. 207-548-2529. www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org
Wells
On December 10 this seaside community hosts its twenty-second annual Christmas Parade, and this year's theme is "A Fairy Tale Christmas in Southern Maine." The parade begins at 2 p.m. and proceeds from Wells Plaza north to Route 1 to the Junior High School campus for an awards ceremony. Decorated floats, marching bands, and special entertainment all bring a dose of holiday cheer, but, of course, the festivities are not complete until Santa makes a special guest appearance. 207-646-2451. www.wellschamber.org
Yarmouth
On Saturday, December 3, the streets of Yarmouth will be buzzing with the start of its Hometown Holidays. Starting at 9 a.m. bazaars and craft fairs are held at area churches as well as at North Yarmouth Academy and Coastal Manor. A horse-drawn wagon, sponsored by the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce, provides free rides up and down Main Street. The Yarmouth Lions Club will sell Christmas trees in front of the Town Hall. At 5 p.m. a Carol Sing and Tree Lighting will be held in front of Town Hall, including free cookies and cocoa provided by the Rotary Club of Yarmouth. Following the tree lighting Santa Claus (sponsored by the Lions Club) will be visiting with children. The festivities also include a bean supper sponsored by Casco Lodge. And finally, don't miss the Best Christmas Pageant Ever, performed for free at the Yarmouth High School at 7 p.m. 207-846-3984. www.yarmouthmaine.org
York
Yuletide celebrations in southern Maine begin with the Lighting of the Nubble Lighthouse on November 26. The evening is filled with local entertainment, cookies, hot chocolate, music, and Saint Nick, who flicks the switch on the Christmas lights at the Cape Neddick Lighthouse. Parking with free shuttle bus service is available at Ellis Park at Short Sands Beach. 207-363-1040. Then, on December 3, enjoy the fourteenth annual Festival of Lights with the Old York Historical Society and the York Parks and Recreation Department. The all-day celebration includes craft fairs, open house celebrations, caroling, and a parade at 4:30 p.m. that includes marching bands, floats, clowns, antique cars, public service organizations, and business establishments. After the parade enjoy church suppers, caroling groups, concerts, and watch for a visit by Santa Claus. 207-363-4974. www.yorkme.org
