Last weekend, Dec. 2 to Dec. 4, Boothbay Harbor was teeming with visitors.

The town was aglow with thousands of lights adorning homes and businesses, thanks to the first Boothbay Festival of Lights. Saturday also marked the 31st annual Harbor Lights Festival and the annual Festival of Trees at the Opera House.

With all of that happening, and Santa Claus and his entourage arriving at the town landing by boat, and the tree-lighting on the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, not to mention the throngs of people coming to the area for Gardens Aglow at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, it made for a prosperous weekend for restaurants, shops and motels and inns.

On Saturday night, there wasn’t a room to be found in the area, from Cod Cove Inn in Edgecomb through the Boothbay region.

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Patricia Royall said she thinks people were looking for something to get them in the spirit of the holidays on Saturday. “The confluence was there. Everything was happening, and it felt very exciting to be a part of this community.”

On Saturday, people were lined up along the harbor all the way to the Tugboat for the Lighted Boat Parade. “They were cheering the boats on,” Royall said. “And as soon as the boats gathered around Tumbler Island it started snowing. It was magical.”

The Boothbay Region Art Foundation, which holds an art event called Art in the Square with12” square paintings that sell for $100, had sold 100 by Sunday.

Restaurants were having to turn people away. Kelly Farrin of Carriage House Restaurant in East Boothbay said business was booming. “We were busy and everyone was happy and excited about our food.”

McSeagull's manager Taylor Chase said that restaurant was hopping, too, with a waiting line at the door. “We got slammed for dinner. I was told it was like that all day. I got around 20,000 steps on my Fitbit that night,” she said.

Boathouse Bistro owner Ralph Smith said people were being turned away because of long waiting lines there and at his other restaurant, The World is Mine Oyster. “I've never seen so many people in town at this time of year,” he said. Mine Oyster hosted a “Wrap Up Party” after the Festival of Lights Boat Parade. Approximately 125 tickets were sold for the $25, two-cocktail and “heavy hors d'oeuvres” party, but Smith said around 250 people showed up.

Janson's Clothing store owner Betty Jeanne Maddocks said that business was booming on Saturday night, and Barbara Abbott, who worked there on Sunday, said that was another great day.

Mark Gimbel of Gimbel & Sons Country Store and the Smiling Cow was feeling good about the weekend. “We've been doing well most weekends, with Saturday being the pinnacle of the week.”

“Saturday was the best day I've seen here in two months, both in the bar and in the pizza area,” Jenn Ward said of Pier One Pizza.

Paul Roberts, owner of Coastal Maine Popcorn, said business on Saturday was “absurd.” He said he and his wife Julie took a break to get some dinner at Harborside Tavern, and the entire time they were there there was a line of people waiting to get in. “She was slamming. It was fantastic.”

Royall said that the story here is about the community. “It's always been this sleepy little summer community. This is a game changer in a lot of ways.

“This has morphed into something that is just so special. I think that this whole thing is going to evolve into something that is going to change Boothbay Harbor. Positive energy attracts positive energy. It's really nice to see everyone getting so excited. It’s all about the community.”

A Silver Lining owner Tony Heyl said he’s been hearing a lot of good feedback. “People are really loving it. They think we live in paradise.”