The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce’s 29th annual Harbor Lights Festival will be held the weekend of Dec. 5-7.

The festival will offer a variety of joyous events throughout the weekend, in conjunction with several Boothbay region businesses and the town of Boothbay Harbor.

Among the sights, sounds and smells of the holiday season will be “Gardens in Winter,” the theme of this year’s Festival of Trees at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, Dec. 5, 6 and 7. This will be the 12th annual Festival of Trees sponsored by the Boothbay Region Garden Club.

On display will be an item that will show how to display your garden in winter; three “Garden in Winter” items that will be raffled off; many beautifully decorated trees; and more than 60 special items donated for the Silent Auction; trees decorated by local youth groups and specialty shops selling gift items and sweets. Members of the community are invited to participate as well as attend. No admission fee required.

On Saturday, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., visit the annual Craft Show to be held at the Boothbay Harbor Fire Station featuring hand crafted items, delicious food and baked goods.

Stop by the Boothbay Region Historical Society’s open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Put a jingle in your step and attend The Boothbay Harbor United Methodist Church’s Jinglefest from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with coffee, hot chocolate, soup, beef and lobster stew and an abundance of Christmas treasures.

The Boothbay Harbor Congregational Church will host its annual Christmas Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. offering a homemade soup and bread luncheon, a silent auction, pie sale and a cookie walk.

The annual fundraiser/art event at Boothbay Region Art Foundation (BRAF) kicks off on Friday, Nov. 28 at 11 a.m. with Art in the Square Show. The Gala Reception takes place as part of the Harbor Lights Events on Dec. 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the BRAF Gallery.

Every week new paintings arrive and go up on the gallery walls. The community of artists and art collectors share in this special event and everyone who takes part can feel the goodness of sharing in this mission to reach others with fine art.

Twenty-five dollars from each $100 painting sold goes directly into the Student art and Scholarship fund. The 2014 “Art- In-The Square Holiday Show” and Sale, now in its ninth year, wraps up the year in the true spirit of holiday giving. Come join the fun and celebrate art!

Boothbay Region Art Foundation is at 1 Townsend Ave, Boothbay Harbor. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; Sunday, open noon to 5 p.m. through Jan. 5. Call 207-633-2703.

Stay tuned for the highlight of the day’s festivities when Santa, Mrs. Claus and their North Pole entourage arrive at the Boothbay Harbor Public Landing at 1 p.m. aboard Captain Bill Campbell’s Novelty boat. Once the Novelty is docked, Santa and Mrs. Claus along with the elves will be escorted on a horse-drawn carriage ride through town and presented at the footsteps of the newly renovated Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library for Santa’s most important mission for the day: Lap Time with Santa.

This year, in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce, the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library is honored to host Lap Time with Santa where kids of all ages will have the thrill of meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus. A special thank you goes out to Hannaford, Inc. for sponsoring unlimited hot cocoa, cookies and candy canes at Santa’s Workshop from 1:15 until 3:30 p.m.

Another highly anticipated part of the day are the horse-drawn carriage rides that will cruise the downtown streets in true holiday spirit from 1:15 to 4 p.m. Run by Stillbrook Acres Farm and sponsored by the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce and the town of Boothbay Harbor, all carriage ride pick-ups will take place across the library parking lot with a stop at the Opera House and the Fire Station Hall.

Story Time at Sherman’s will be back by popular demand from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. All children and parents are welcome to attend and enjoy the featured books including "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore, "Nutcracker" by Mary Engelbrett, "A Bad Kitty Christmas" by Nick Bruel, and "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Robert L. May. Thank you to our readers: Tom and Stephanie Dewey and Emily Mirabile.

Get in the Yuletide spirit and watch the award-winning Y Arts Youth Chorus concert on the Library steps at 3:30 p.m.

At 4 p.m. Santa, Mrs. Claus and the North Pole entourage of elves welcome everyone to the front steps and lawn of the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library to join the Boothbay Region Community Band in its Holiday Sing-A-Long. Watch with bated breath as our Blue Spruce Community Tree comes to life in an abundance of Holiday lights and ornaments during the Tree Lighting ceremony.

At 4:30 p.m., after the Tree Lighting ceremony, guests are invited to follow the Three Wise Men from the library lawn across the footbridge to the Our Lady Queen of Peace church to experience the celebration of a Live Nativity scene over cocoa and cookies.

Make sure to be back at the Boothbay Harbor Public Pier by 5 p.m. so you don’t miss out on the popular Lighted Boat Parade where our local fishermen, lobstermen, tour boats, sailboats and our very own U.S. Coast Guard will circle the harbor and compete for the “Best in Fleet” title.

From 4 to 8 p.m., feel free to warm up at the Lighted Boat Parade After-Party at McSeagull’s Restaurant and Bar with a cash bar and complimentary light appetizers served during the awards ceremony.

As in past years, every lighted boat parade participant will receive a prize donated by various local merchants, organizations and businesses with the Grand Prize sponsored by Sherman’s Books & Stationery with a $100 in cash and $100 gift certificate.

The festivities will continue on Sunday, Dec. 7, when the Southport United Methodist Church hosts a Soup Supper at 5 p.m. followed by Lessons and Carols at 6 p.m. presented by the Church Choir. There is no cost to attend, but the church would gladly accept a free will offering to benefit local charity. No RSVP’s required.

The chamber would like to thank the following Harbor Lights’ sponsors for their support and generosity: Town of Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay Harbor Fire Department, Boothbay Harbor Police Department, Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, Sherman’s Books & Stationery, Boothbay Region Greenhouses, Boothbay Region Community Band, Hannaford, Inc., Dave “Bucket” Thomson, Albert Greenleaf, Mark Conley, Kim Upham, Hawke Motors, Oak Street Provisions, The Boothbay Region Garden Club, Balmy Days, and all our hardworking volunteers who will be donating their time and talents to make our 29th annual Harbor Lights festival fun and festive this year.

Lighted Boat Parade sponsors include: Sherman’s Books & Stationery, Abacus, Boothbay Region Greenhouses, China by the Sea, Flagship Inn & Suites, Hawke Motors, The Harbor Theatre, Janson's Clothing, Maine Maritime Museum, Massage Therapy with Rick Gilde, McSeagull’s Restaurant, Peapod Jewelry, Robinson’s Wharf Tugs & Pub, Sarah's Café, Tugboat Inn and the Trevett Country Store.

The Harbor Lights Festival is a Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce sponsored event. For a list of businesses participating in this event and other event information, visit the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce website www.boothbayharbor.com or call 207-633-2353.