With December just around the corner, it’s time to start getting excited about one of Ogunquit’s time-honored annual traditions: Christmas by the Sea! Come get in the Yuletide spirit December 9 through 11, when the festival—within easy walking distance from the Admiral’s Inn—will be serving up lots of festive events and oodles of shopping opportunities to ring in the season.
Friday Evening Kickoff
There are attractions for all ages and all inclinations at Christmas by the Sea—everything back dropped, by the ravishing coastal beauty of Ogunquit in the early wintertime. On Friday, you won’t want to miss the concert of seasonal music at the Ogunquit Baptist Church from 7 to 8 PM, or the lighting of the town Christmas tree in Veteran’s Park at 8:15 PM.
Saturday: Saint Nick & Fireworks
That kind of prelude establishes the perfect holiday mood for the weekend’s festivities, which are wonderfully wide-ranging. The kids will surely want to have a bit of one-on-one time with Santa Claus, who holds court at the Fire Station on Saturday between 9:30 and 11 AM; if you arrive early enough, you’ll enjoy the memorable prospect of Saint Nick riding in on a fire engine. Saturday evening sees a delightful Christmas Parade from 3 to 4 PM, followed by a Main Beach bonfire (4 PM) and fireworks show (5:30 PM).
Sunday: Minstrels & Polar Bears
Sunday has can’t-miss offerings, too: from Christmas by the Sea’s very own Wandering Minstrel (singing—and, yes, wandering—through downtown’s shops between 11 AM and 1 PM) to the Ogunquit Heritage Museum’s 1-4 PM Open House, complete with seasonal decorations and refreshments. At 11:15 AM, watch Ogunquit Ocean Rescue Service members brave a Polar Plunge off Main Beach—and, in the spirit of holiday charity, bring along an unwrapped toy or donation for Toys for Tots as you do so. Down in Wells, meanwhile, there’s another holiday parade kicking off at 2 PM.
Other Goings-On
Saturday and Sunday, there’ll be Veteran’s Park hayrides and lots of special deals and Christmassy cheer going down at Ogunquit’s businesses—just the spread of galleries and boutiques to pull off some last-minute holiday shopping!
And hey, we’ve skipped over food and wine tastings, ornament-making, living-manger setups, and all kinds of other Christmas by the Sea fun. Check out this webpage for the latest schedule and other details.
Christmas by the Sea at the Admiral’s
We’d love to be your host here at the Admiral’s Inn for a holiday idyll on the Southern Maine coast—with Christmas by the Sea providing a weekend packed to the gills with merriment!
