Pier 1 in Boothbay Harbor is now illuminated with the town’s first large-scale Christmas buoy tree. The 20-foot wooden structure weighs in at 3,000 pounds and is outfitted with 800 lobster-pot buoys, 1,000 lights and is topped by a giant metal lobster. Over 20 businesses and people pitched in with money, manpower and materials.

Windjammer Emporium owner Mark Gimbel organized the construction procuring buoys from Bangor-based Mainely Buoys and ordering lights, Knickerbocker Group engineered and constructed the base, and Marden Builders owner Eric Marden used his bin lift to cover the high spots.

“I got called in to run the bin lift. I started right at the top working my way down with the pot buoys, Eric Gimbel and I … Once we got it down where the man-lift could go away, then others jumped in to help and then I came back and helped finish.”

Marden said the tree is an experiment like all first-time projects are, but putting his home-building hat on for something different was fulfilling. “It was cool. I used some of my experience and knowledge and got started with what made sense and it seemed to work out fine.”

Dianne Gimbel said the project came together thanks to the generosity and cohesiveness of the business community and willingness of community members to donate about a week’s time. “I think it's really beautiful. We can actually see it from our apartment off of our deck. It is really quite lovely and it's lovely when the community comes together to do something spectacular.”

Janson’s Clothing Store owner Betty Maddocks said the tree is nearly visible from the store, but a step out onto the sidewalk provides a full view of the tree. “It's gorgeous, it's a beautiful addition and I love it just as well during the day as at night. It's just beautiful.”

Mark Gimbel said the tree does not belong to just Pier 1 or the businesses on the pier, it belongs to the whole town because a strong core of the community made it possible. The tree has become such a fixture, already some are asking if it could stay up indefinitely.

Said Mark, “We've had 50-60 people say, 'This is so cool, why don't you leave it up year round?' It's representative of our lobstering heritage, but maybe it doesn't just have to be for the Christmas holiday … I feel like we have to keep pushing forward and coming up with cool stuff for Boothbay. This is one more attraction to put us on the map.”

The tree’s sponsors were Gimbel and Sons Country Store, Log Cabin Shoes, Boothbay Harbor Country Club, Marden Builders, Janson's Clothing Store, Sherman's Books and Stationery, Boothbay Harbor Apparel, Knickerbocker Group, Boothbay Harbor Mart, sweet bay; Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce, Windjammer Emporium, Hennessey Marine, Rich and Elisha Elliott, Lori and Bill Bailey, Taka, Hawke Motors, J. Edward Knight, Boat House Bistro, Linekin Home, Pier One Pizza, and Downeast Candies.