The Village of Wiscasset is bursting with holiday spirit as Wiscasset Holiday Marketfest begins – four days of special events designed to make holiday shopping fun for the whole family.  
 
From Thursday, Dec. 7 through Sunday, Dec. 10, Village streets will sparkle with lights and festive music as well as tasty treats and hot drinks. On Friday and Saturday, POP-UP shops with handmade crafts and wearable art will appear in three locations, and the library will sponsor a special kids-only shop on Saturday. 
 
Local merchants have transformed their shops into a wonderland of gifts and the Chamber of Commerce has made sure that everyone enjoys the full benefits of winter in a small New England town. The stores will be open each day from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. or later with special Holiday Marketfest offers for shoppers.

Carolers and a brass band will stroll about, and the Fahrenheit 225 BBQ truck will be parked on Middle St. each day.
 
Thursday evening, Dec. 7, features Lights Over Wiscasset when fireworks can be viewed from the Creamery Pier, starting around 6 p.m. Santa will also be at the pier to visit with children from 5 to 7 p.m. Hot chocolate, sweet treats, and festive music from Downeast Brass will make the evening even brighter.
 
Friday, Dec. 8, is a shopaholic’s dream with special blowout Marketfest sales in the stores, and three pop-up shops throughout the Village sell Maine made crafts, wearable art, and farm & garden gifts. A tour of the Nickels-Sortwell House, dressed up for the season by professional floral designers, is sure to provide inspiration for holiday decor.
 
The focus is kids on Saturday, Dec. 9, beginning with Breakfast with Santa at the Recreation Center from 8-10 a.m.  There’s also a Santa’s Workshop at the Library just for kids from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The specialty pop-ups will be open all day, connected by a free horse-drawn wagon to shuttle shoppers from one to the other. At noon, Sarah’s Café’s Tidbit Station at the Nickels-Sortwell barn will offer complimentary soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.
 
Come Sunday, Dec. 10, is the Marketfest finale.  Sarah’s Cafe offers a very special Holiday Brunch, and the downtown merchants as well as the Farm & Garden pop-up will be open all day. The Nickels-Sortwell House is open for tours starting at noon; and from noon to 3 p.m., Santa and Mrs. Clause will pose for pictures in the barn behind the historic home.
 
Wiscasset Holiday Marketfest is sponsored by the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce. For a complete list of events and times, please visit www.wiscassetholidaymarketfest.com. 

Major Sponsors for Marketfest are Camden National Bank, Carl M.P. Larrabee Agency, Carriage House Gardens, Greg’s Used Cars, Norm’s Used Cars, Red’s Eats, Sheepscot Bay Physical Therapy, Tim Dunham Realty, and Wiscasset Ford with additional support from Big Al’s, Central Maine Pyrotechnics, Cod Cove Inn,  and Midcoast Credit Union.

For more information, contact Christine Hopf-Lovette, chopflovette@gmail.com.