On a day that couldn't be any further, weather-wise, from the polar vortex that descended upon the Boothbay region last winter during the Boothbay Festival of Lights and Gardens Aglow, plans for the second annual event were being discussed at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor on June 13.

Among those at the community kick-off meeting were Whitney Burdsall and Stepha Normantas from Green Tree Events, the firm retained to promote and develop a marketing plan for the festival for the second year.

The firm is working with the Joint Economic Development Committee (JEDC) of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Southport and Edgecomb.

Also in attendance were Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens representative Kris Folsom, Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce President Michael Maxim and Executive Director Patricia Royall, Boothbay Harbor Selectman and JEDC co-chair Wendy Wolf and Boothbay Harbor Town Manager Tom Woodin. All, along with participating local merchants, are working together to plan this year’s festival.

Woodin noted he and Boothbay Town Manager Dan Bryer fully support the festival, and will help in any way they can to make it work. Woodin said new events, including a fireworks display Dec. 8, will be added. He said Boothbay Harbor and Boothbay will display more lights, and town workers will again help businesses decorate.

Most merchants agreed on a wish for more daytime events and activities in the harbor to bring people in before and after their visit to Gardens Aglow at CMBG. One suggestion, brought to the group’s attention by business owner Scott Larson, was a lighted boat parade — a well attended event during last year’s festival – each weekend during this winter’s festival.

“And what other specific activities and things can we do to take this so it’s not so garden-centered — not taking away anything from the Gardens — to bring people into town,” Larson added. He suggested ice-carving contests in front of shops and restaurants, and that  those and other activities be repeated each weekend of the festival.

Maxim spoke of the need for “ambassador guides” on the shuttles to and from CMBG, and at the information center at CMBG, to provide visitors with as much information as possible about restaurants and shops that will be open in town. “(The need for ambassadors) was something that was commented on by both visitors and merchants last year, and it’s something we need to work on this year,” Maxim said. “This year the goal is to help people understand that the town is open, and this year merchants will have a better understanding of what hours will work for them.”

Dawn Gilbert, of Hair at Home, suggested the possibility of Christmas lights strung all the way from Boothbay Center into Boothbay Harbor. “That’s been a dream of mine, and a friend’s, for many years.”

Folsom took a survey after last winter’s Gardens Aglow event. “Ninety-five percent of people said they’d be back in 2017, either yes or maybe,” she said. “So we know that we have a great opportunity, that we just need to ride this wave.” She added that 38 percent said they planned to participate more fully in the Boothbay Festival of Lights. “So 38 percent of that 95 percent want more.”

Gardens Aglow will be open again this year from Nov. 17 through New Year’s Eve, Thursdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve. Folsom said CMBG is “jerry-rigging the system” to include a message for people on its website to send people to the Festival of Lights website.

Normantas said Green Tree’s priority this year is to build on the collaboration and the partnerships, and try to provide visitors with more reason to extend their stay in Boothbay. Green Tree will manage social media and the Facebook group, share information and keep communication open among participating merchants. “That’s where you’ll be seeing our presence, working in collaboration with the Chamber and the Gardens to make the process as smooth as possible and to be the hub of that information.”

Merchant groups were encouraged to develop shop/dine/ stay packages in an attempt to promote the festival through print materials, social media, websites and community ambassadors.

A survey was conducted by local merchants after last year’s festival, and shared by Green Tree Events.  The number one response to visitors’ favorite thing about FOL was the community spirit and everyone coming together. Next favorite was the beautiful lights around town, followed by positive responses about an increase in business during that time of year.

The survey also revealed that 87 percent of businesses plan to be open during the 2017 Festival of Lights.

Maxim said the goal of informational meetings like the one held June 17  is to encourage people to start thinking about the festival now. “It seems funny to be just starting the summer season, when it’s 85 degrees out, and we’re talking about lights and Christmas. But we have to start planning. Time flies.”

For more information, and to keep abreast of what’s happening regarding the 2017 Boothbay Festival of Lights, visit: https://www.boothbaylights.com.