Hometown Holidays across the region on Saturday

The Dover-Foxcroft Hometown Holidays committee is excited about this year’s festivities. The schedule begins at 9 a.m. with a Kris Kringle Coffee at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church, which will run until 11 a.m. Also beginning at 9 a.m. are several open-house celebrations throughout town, with many small business owners running holiday specials and discounts during the weekend.

Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom

SANTA AND MRS. CLAUS ARE COMING TO TOWN — The annual Hometown Holidays celebration features events in towns across the region on and around Saturday, Dec. 5. In Dover-Foxcroft Santa and Mrs. Claus are scheduled to travel from Foxcroft Academy to in-town via the Festival of Lights Parade at 5 p.m. The two will then be at the Dover-Foxcroft Fire Station to meet with good boys and girls as they and others can take part in other activities.

Carpe Diem Salon will hold an open house with discounts and door prizes until 2 p.m., the Hobby House is offering discounts until 4 p.m. and Bob’s Sugarhouse is holding its annual Christmas celebration and namesake Bob Moore’s birthday where shoppers will enjoy Christmas music, free samples of maple goodies, door prizes, discounts, and of course, birthday cake, ending at 5 p.m.

The Thompson Free Library will offer a free Christmas ornament craft time from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. At noon, the Union Square Mall will hold a Christmas open house featuring many local vendors, such as the Holistic Healing Center offering giveaways and discounts, Guilford Christian Academy offering cookie decorating and cocoa, the Color of Life Yoga Studios with discount punch cards and holiday sales from Thirty-One Gifts, Norwex Cleaning Products, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Usbourne Children’s Books, Tupperware, Scentsy, Studio TerrKell Mixed Media Art, and more.

The Center Theatre will hold two ”Letter to Santa” sessions, one from 12:30-1:30 p.m.with Mrs. Claus helping and the second from 3:30-4:30 p.m. and there’s a good possibility Santa’s elves will be there to assist. At 1:30 p.m. the Center Theatre will hold a storytime concluding in time for the kids to move into the theater for a free holiday movie “The Santa Claus” running until 3:45 p.m.

Horse-drawn carriage rides will run from 3-5 p.m. on Lincoln Street. Residents of the street are asked to remember the road will be closed to through-traffic from 2:45-5 p.m.

Modern Image Salon will offer hot drinks and sweets by donation. Also from 3-5 p.m., the Charlotte White Center will host a “crafts, cards and cocoa” and Central Maine Railroad will be open for children who want to visit the Polar Express. Johnston Christmas Trees will be selling fresh cut trees outside of the fire station from 4-6 p.m. The Mill Inn and Cafe will hold a Christmas Karaoke sing along from 4-6 p.m. with free coffee and cocoa.

By 4:30 p.m. all businesses who would like to participate in the Festival of Lights Parade should meet at Foxcroft Academy for the line up. To register contact Wendy at 965-5623. The parade will begin promptly at 5 p.m., and West Main Street residents are asked to turn on their outdoor Christmas lights as the fire truck passes carrying Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

The parade will end at the fire station, where Mr. and Mrs. Claus will descend from the truck. There the children present will be asked to count down from 10, and with the twitch of his nose Santa will light the tree at Union Square.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will then make their way into the fire station where children will have an opportunity to visit with them and have photos taken. Inside the fire station, families can expect to find food, desserts, wreaths and ornaments available for purchase, and free crafts for their children.

On Sunday, Dec. 6 the second annual Community Christmas Concert will be held at Center Theatre at 3 p.m., admission is by donation. Enjoy classic holiday music by the choirs of several local churches, with a few surprise solos as well.     

Many businesses stepped forward this year with donations, product or time. This celebration would not be possible without this support. For more information, please see the  Facebook page “Dover-Foxcroft’s Hometown Holidays.”

The weekend events also include a day of Hometown Holidays happenings in Milo (please see www.trcmaine.org for the full schedule) and Guilford. At 5 p.m. the Guilford Historical Society opens with free hot cocoa and sweets.

At 6 p.m. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive at the Braeburn and Edes lot for the tree lighting. Caroling and music will be by the bonfire with performances by the PCHS band and chorus.