The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all the volunteers, businesses, nonprofits and participants that came together to help make our 28th Annual Harbor Lights Festival on December 7, 2013 a tremendous success. Our heartfelt thanks to the town of Boothbay Harbor, the Boothbay Harbor Police Department, both the Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor fire departments and the U.S. Coast Guard for its collective support in helping the Chamber present another memorable Harbor Lights Festival.

This year the Chamber presented Laptime with Santa at Sherman’s Book & Stationery store, where kids of all ages had the special honor of meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus. Our deepest thanks go out to owner Jeff Curtis and his hardworking team for sponsoring and hosting the charming setting for Laptime with Santa and Story Time.

Many thanks to Evelyn Andrews for coordinating and Hannaford for donating the delicious hot chocolate and cookies, candy canes and supplies that were much appreciated on a cold day. Thanks to the East Boothbay General Store for letting us borrow its urns and to Oak Street Provisions for keeping the urns full of hot chocolate all day long.

Thank you to Kim Reed, innkeeper and owner of Captain Sawyer’s Place, and the Boothbay Harbor Fire Department led by Chief Nick Upham, for lighting up the entire Whale Park and decorating our Community Holiday Tree.

A sincere vote of thanks to all those folks who donated ornaments for our Community Tree, this year. A heartfelt thank you to Sweeney Ridge for donating six beautiful handcrafted ornaments for our Tree. Thanks to Dave “Bucket” Thomson for setting up the charming reindeer display in the Whale Park and for coordinating the Library Lawn effort with Albert Greenleaf.

Mark Conley from Conley’s Garden Center and Landscaping deserves a huge thank you from the Chamber for working so hard on stabilizing our Community Holiday Tree, (from Evergreen Farm in Waldoboro) despite adverse weather conditions and gravitational challenges. Mark also donated his time to prune and shape the Blue Spruce on the Library Lawn.

The twinkly lit-library lawn enhanced the festive ambiance for Harbor Lights thanks to our decorating elves: Bianca Bowden, Alan Baldwin, Albert Greenleaf, Guy Peaselee, Jared Peaselee, Phil Koskela, Rimar Reed, Valerie Reny, Marianne Reynolds, Cherie Scott, Dave “Bucket” Thomson, Kris Ward, and the team from the Boothbay Region Greenhouses led by Bobby Boyd.

Special thanks to Harbor Lights’ co-chairmen Lisa Walby and Heather Savage for their combined leadership in putting together another memorable festival. Thank you to Santa, Mrs. Claus, our hardworking Elves and the team of holiday mascots for their collective presence in downtown Boothbay Harbor. The North Pole Entourage is as follows: Ben Rankins, Lisa Walby, Michelle Davis, Santa, Mrs. Claus, Haowen Xue, Todd Savage, Olivia Zaragozi, Genevieve Taylor, Della Hahn, Catherine Fossett, Heather Savage, Matt Savage, Valerie Young, Makayla Pinkham, Madison Gaudette, Madeleine McLellan, Sophia Scott, Cherie Scott, Sue Burge, Shelley Burge, Magen Burge, Rimar Reed, Bob Reed, Michelle Oakman, Joe Hall and Debbie Butterfield.

Thank you to our favorite Gingerbread Man from the Opera House and his team including Susan Endicott and Susan Brackett for providing festive and fun photo opportunities.

Thank you to The Greens and St. Andrews Village for opening their doors to our caroling elves. Special thanks to Jerie Phinney for escorting the carolers and hosting a lovely luncheon. Thanks go out to Country Coach Charters’ Michael and Darcy Knof for their sponsorship and to Julie Webster for driving Santa, and his Holiday entourage all over town in the festive trolley.

The highly anticipated part of the day’s festivities was Santa’s arrival at the Boothbay Harbor Public Landing. A big thank you to Captain Bill Campbell and his fantastic crew for bringing Santa, Mrs. Claus, the elves and mascots into Boothbay Harbor on the Novelty. A big nod of thanks to our U.S. Coast Guard for escorting the Novelty from the dock to the Boothbay Harbor Public Landing for Santa’s arrival and to Lincoln County Health Care for the use of its dock to board the Novelty.

Scores of sweet faces lined up the steps inside Sherman’s for Story Time as Sue Burge and Stephanie Dewey entertained them with animated performances of heartwarming holiday stories. Thank you to craft show organizer Vicki Huskins and the Boothbay Harbor Fire Department for hosting the well-attended show at the Fire Hall. Thank you also to Heather Millet from Stillbrook Acres Farms for the beautiful horse-drawn carriage rides through town.

After a day full of fun-filled activities all over town, the Boothbay Region Community Band led the annual carol sing-along on the Whale Park stage to a large gathering of happy carolers. We would like to especially thank each member of the band who played despite the frigid weather. Thank you to the Three Wise Men who led the way after the tree lighting from the lawn over the footbridge to the Our Lady Queen of Peace church for the celebration of a Live Nativity scene over cocoa and cookies.

After sunset, a total of eight boats participated in the annual Lighted Boat parade including: Avelinda, Casey Anne, 47286-U.S. Coast Guard, Fundy Endeavor, Look Out, Novelty, Pagan Moon and Hay Val. Several spectators lined up at the Public Pier and the Tug Boat Inn parking lot to watch the boats parade around the harbor and compete for the Best in Fleet title. The Look Out with Russ Brewer claimed the grand prize with its ornate Sea Monster theme.

Pagan Moon with Alan and Judith Boyes won in first place; 47286-US Coast Guard with second place and the Novelty with Bill Campbell in third place. Thank you to both our Lighted Boat Parade judges: Bruce Washburn and Mark Gimbel for doing an outstanding job with the judging effort — it was a tight competition. Special thanks to Doug Goldhirsch, Bruce White and Rusty Court for coordinating the line up in the harbor prior to the parade and to the Boyes for helping promote the event.

As in past years, each and every lighted boat parade participant received a prize donated by various vendors and businesses in our community. Once again the Boothbay Harbor Restaurant Group (McSeagull’s Restaurant, The World is Mine Oyster and Boat House Bistro) get special thanks for donating the grand cash prize and gift certificate for the Best in Fleet parade winner.

Special thanks to Ralph and Elena Smith and Mark and Karin Guerin for hosting the after-party and the wonderful appetizer buffet at The World is Mine Oyster. Lighted Boat Parade sponsors include: Boothbay Harbor House of Pizza, Coastal Carwash, China by the Sea, Flagship Inn & Suites, Good 'N You Fuel and Service, Hawke Motors, I Lobster Maine, The Harbor Theatre, Janson's Clothing, Massage Therapy with Rick Gilde, Oak Street Provisions, Peapod Jewelry, Sadie Green's, Sarah's Café, The Cannery, Tugboat Inn, Robinson’s Wharf Tugs & Pub, Video Loft/Quick Foto/Radio Shack, McSeagull’s Restaurant and The World Is Mine Oyster.

Radio sponsors include: Thank you to Blueberry Broadcasting’s Big 104 FM and MidCoast 102.5 for partnering with our Chamber members: Flagship Inn & Suites, John Edwards Jewelry & Designs, J. Edward Knight & Co., Robinson’s Wharf & Tug’s Pub, Sherman’s Book & Stationery Store, The Cannery and The Villa to promote Harbor Lights and our festive region for the holidays!

Harbor Lights lived up to its name thanks to the hard work, vision and passion of several local organizations that came together and lit up our Region with the Holiday spirit. Thank you to the Boothbay Region Garden Club for another magnificent Festival of Trees. Studio 53’s Gifts for Giving, The Boothbay Region Art Foundation’s Art in the Square Holiday Gala and the Gold Smith Gallery’s “The Season” provided art lovers an opportunity to enjoy and purchase unique local art.

The Boothbay Region Historical Society hosted a wonderful open house and Civil War exhibit. Thank you to the Boothbay Harbor United Methodist Church for putting on Jinglefest, The Boothbay Harbor Congregational Church’s Christmas Fair, and the Southport Methodist Church’s Lessons and Carols Soup Supper that rounded out the weekend’s festivities.

Thank you the Our Lady Queen of Peace for the annual Live Nativity. Thank you to the Kwilts 4 Kidz group for the Quilt Show at the Boothbay Region YMCA. Special thanks to Ames True Value Supply for assisting with the purchase of our Holiday lights on the Library Lawn. Thank you to Janson’s Clothing for piping out festive holiday music throughout the day ... it truly added to the holiday spirit.

In closing the Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the Boothbay Register team: Kevin Burnham, Sue Mello and Ryan Leighton for promoting and covering all the festivities. Thank you Jonne Trees from Channel 7, BRCTV for braving the wind chill all day and especially during the Lighted Boat Parade.

A special thank you goes out to Steve Demeranville for donating his time and talents to photograph Harbor Lights. Finally, thank you to Dawn Guzzo, owner at Atomic Studios for the colorful Harbor Lights map.

The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce is proud to present the Harbor Lights Festival in conjunction with the town of Boothbay Harbor. Stay tuned for next year’s 29th annual Harbor Lights Festival slated for Dec 5, 6, 7, 2014.