Check out these super fun, family friendly activities nearby! Also visit our Events page for much more!
GARDENS AGLOW (Boothbay Maine) Nov. 20, 2021 – Jan. 1, 2022
Gardens Aglow at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will light up the Boothbay peninsula for the seventh year in a row in 2021 as a driving tour. This annual family tradition of experiencing the lights of Gardens Aglow will accommodate safety protocols necessary for large events. Gardens Aglow is illuminated by nearly 650,000 energy-efficient LED bulbs—that’s nearly 60 miles of lights! Make an evening of it by creating a festive playlist, brewing a thermos of tea or hot chocolate, packing snacks for the drive, and downloading a map of the region that includes entries in this year’s community lighting contest, available online.
FREEPORT SPARKLES FOR THE HOLIDAY (Freeport Maine) Dec. 3-12 2021
Each year, Visit Freeport presents one of Maine’s most popular holiday celebrations, Sparkle Celebration. The 2021 festival kicks off in Freeport on Friday, December 3, 2021 with the Sparkle Celebration Parade of Lights which ends with Santa arriving to bring our famous talking Christmas Tree to life! The fun continues all week with lots of lights and holiday merrymaking including our annual decorating contest and Gift Certificate Giveaways with the Stealth Elf! And as always, visitors will enjoy great dining and shopping throughout Freeport. Visit us this holiday season to experience the magic of winter in Freeport!
Northern Lights at L.L.Bean Nov. 22 – Dec. 31 @ 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
An unforgettable holiday experience is one of the best gifts you can give. So we’re turning our Freeport campus into a winter wonderland where you can play, shop and be merry together. Because giving is an act of joy, and joy is best when it’s shared.
Activities & Sights include:
• Ice Skating in Discovery Park- Daily, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Famous Model Train Village- Daily, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Life-Size Snow Globe- Daily, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Letters to Santa- Through December 23
• Twinkle Light Tunnel
• Whimsical Windows- Daily, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
• “Holidays Around the World” Interactive Walk
KORA SHRINER FEZTIVAL OF TREES (Sunday River, Newry Maine) Dec. 10-12, 2021
Come out for a weekend of Holiday CHEER!! The Oxford County Shrine Club will be hosting its 2nd Annual FEZtival of Trees!! Visit The Sunday River Jordan Hotel in Newry, Maine and check out dozens of fully decorated trees loaded with prizes and decorations, all sponsored by local businesses and organizations. Purchase raffles to take your chance at winning one, or more, of these FABULOUS trees! They will also be raffling off a LOTTERY TREE! Oh and guess what??? Santa will make an appearance!!! All proceeds from this event will benefit the Oxford County Shrine Club.
POLAR EXPRESS (Portland Maine) Thru December 23, 2021
This year’s Train Ride will be the largest annual event for 2021 at the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum. The rolling history museum’s Christmas train has become a holiday tradition drawing over 19,000 passengers in 2019! This year’s fun begins at the Maine Narrow Gauge’s Outdoor Boarding Platform. The Conductor boards passengers onto the 10 historic coaches decked out for the holidays. Once on board, Christmas music fills the cars as the steam locomotive powered by beloved Steam Engine #3 thunders to the “North Pole”. Children will see Santa waving to all aboard the train as he prepares his sleigh for departure. Get a second look at the holiday lights outside the train as you travel back to the station. Hot chocolate and cookies will be served after the train arrives back at the station this year.
Miracle On 34TH Street: A Live Musical Radio Play at Biddeford City Theater, Dec. 3-19, 2021
When a department store Santa claims he’s the real Kris Kringle, his case gets taken all the way to the Supreme Court, and a little girl’s belief makes the difference in the ‘miracle.’ With live Foley effects and a score of holiday carols, Miracle on 34th Street is a beloved musical that will melt even the most cynical of hearts.
17th Annual Festival of Trees: A Little Holiday Music (Saco Maine) Dec. 9, 2021 12 pm – 5 pm
The Festival of Trees at the Saco Museum is back in full form! The theme for this year’s 17th Annual Festival of Trees is “A Little Holiday Music” as we celebrate the joyous sounds of the Holidays! The Festival of Trees will be back inside this year with our usual grand displays of trees, wreaths, lights, and more! Thanks to generous sponsors, volunteers and local businesses, The Festival of Trees has become one of the premier Holiday events in Southern Maine. Come vote for your favorite tree and try your luck at our various raffle prizes. There will also be silent auctions for items featured on our Artist Tree. You could win a tree, wreath, gift certificates, dinners, local crafts, local services and more! Raffle tickets are $5 for 3 tickets. Winning tickets will be drawn on Thursday, December 16th at 4 pm. All raffle and sale proceeds benefit the community programming efforts of the Dyer Library/Saco Museum. The Festival of Trees is free to the public and opens the day after Thanksgiving. Several special events will also be featured so please mark your calendars:
TEA WITH MRS. CLAUS, Saturday, December 11, 12 pm and 1:30 pm (two seating times). Free event at the Dyer Library. Call (207)283-3861 ext.102 for reservations – space is limited.
VISIT WITH SANTA CLAUS, Sunday, December 12, 12:30 pm – 3 pm
Free event at the Saco Museum.
FINAL RAFFLE DAY, Winners will be drawn on Thursday, December 16th at 4 pm.
