Rockland Maine for the Holidays

What a great place to visit during the Holidays. Lots of fun, family things to do. Check out this news story. Then visit us us for reservations at http://www.rocklandsuites.hamptoninn.com/

Experience Authentic Holiday Traditions in Award-Winning Maine Towns
Released 10/26/09

CAMDEN, Maine (October 26, 2009) – No holiday celebration is more uniquely Maine than the ones that take place during the weeks after Thanksgiving in Camden and surrounding areas.

Here, a retired fire chief will make his way to the summit of Mt. Battie each afternoon as he has for the last 40 years to light a 27-foot star: a beacon of the season to residents, visitors and ships passing across Penobscot Bay. Santa Claus arrives aboard a tug boat and Coast Guard vessel. A lobster-trap Christmas tree delights young and old, as shoppers and outdoor enthusiasts explore the historic downtowns, waterways and surrounding mountains, experiencing shops, galleries and vistas found nowhere else.

“There’s a real sense of pride and excitement in the area during these celebrations,” said Dan Bookham, executive director of the Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce. “We’re famous for our beautiful harbors and mountains that meet the sea. What surprises people, though, is the bustle of activity that the holidays bring, with shopping, dining and activities to interest everyone.”

“The best thing about coming at this time of year is that visitors can experience some of the best our area offers, all at off-season rates, during a time when local traditions are in full swing,” Bookham said.

Holiday celebrations are planned for the three weekends after Thanksgiving, with a wide variety of entertainment such as performances by Maine Pro Musica, The Nutcracker by Atlantic Ballet Company and roving carolers; unique activities such as the recreation of A Walk Through Bethlehem and the lighting of luminaria in Camden Village Green, and shopping in downtowns built on the harbors’ edge.

Details of Celebrations Include:

Festival of Lights Weekend, Nov. 27-29 (Rockland) – With the help of the Coast Guard, Santa arrives by sea at the Public Landing on Friday at noon, launching a week-long calendar of activities, including the famous lobster-trap tree lighting, also on Friday at 6 p.m. The Festival of Lights parade takes place Saturday at 6 p.m. Visit www.TheRealMaine.com for more information.

Christmas by the Sea, Dec. 4-6 (Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville) – Three full days of events and entertainment that includes the Christmas by the Sea Parade and tree lighting on Friday at 6 p.m. in Camden and Santa’s arrival by tug boat in Camden Harbor followed by Santa story hour, Dec. 5, noon. Go to www.visitcamden.com for details.

Making Miracles, Dec. 12 (Camden, Rockland and Belfast) – Participating merchants donate up to 10 percent of their proceeds to support United Midcoast Charities.
Visitors can make the drive along scenic Route 1 to experience the holiday events, or stay at one of the many comfortable hotels and elegant inns located in and around Camden, Rockport and Lincolnville. In addition to sweeping ocean views and quaint New England villages, visitors will find a wealth of cultural and outdoors activities.

Art lovers can experience the many galleries and museums, such as the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland; outdoors enthusiasts can go for late-fall hikes in the Camden Hills and nature walks throughout the area, and food lovers will find everything from traditional Maine fare at local eateries to gourmet restaurants with a national reputation for excellence.

Boston magazine recently called Camden One of New England’s Best Small Towns, and Downeast magazine labeled its harbor the prettiest in Maine. Rockland is one of America’s Coolest Small Towns, as determined by Budget Traveler, and Rockport is one of America’s prettiest towns, according to Forbes Traveler magazine.

Visitors will know they are getting close when they see the star that Bob Oxton lights every afternoon from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve. He’s made the daily trip each fall for the last 40 years.
“Seeing that star lets you know that you are home,” said Frank Carr, treasurer of the local Lions. “It’s a real symbol of our community’s spirit.”

Once visitors arrive in the area, they are greeted by the smell of baking cookies and fresh-made chowder, the light of shops and streets wreathed for the season, and the sound of laughter mingled with holiday carols.

“This is as authentic a New England experience as someone is going to find during the holiday season,” Bookham said. “Whether a visitor is coming for the day or the week, the Camden area in late fall offers them a rare opportunity to make celebrating the holiday season a truly memorable experience.”

The Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit membership association that seeks to promote the interests of business and encourage economic development, while functioning in a manner that is compatible with the environment, protects natural and cultural resources, and sustains the heritage of the communities it serves. Founded in 1939, the Chamber currently serves businesses and organizations from 54 towns and seven states who actively seek to support business and community in the Camden Hills region of Maine.