Christmas by the Sea weekend is almost here, and there's plenty of holiday festivities on tap to fill your head and heart full of Christmas cheer.

For more than 20 years, the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce and local businesses and organizations have grown Christmas by the Sea into the Midcoast's big holiday festival. There's a parade, visits by Santa Claus and Ellen the Elf in Camden, Rockport and Licolnville, holiday bazaars and craft shows, religious experiences and open houses galore.

The belted Galloway cows at Aldermere Farm regularly get into the spirit and this year, Hope elephants Rosie and Opal will also be celebrating the holidays.

Christmas by the Sea officially runs from Friday-Sunday, Dec. 6-8, but the P.A.W.S. Auction for Animals is happening tonight, Dec. 5, and it's an opportunity to get a jump on the holiday shopping while donating to animals in need and the  Midcoast organization that cares for them.

Beginning Friday morning, many local businesses are hosting day-long open houses, with special shopping deals, refreshments and even some opportunities to raise money for good causes. Consider it "giving a gift as you buy a gift."

Free events Friday include a lunchtime holiday piano and flute interlude in the First Congregational Church sanctuary at noon, an opening reception at Camden Public Library from 4:30 to 6 p.m. with holiday selections performed by the Camden Hills Regional High School vocal and instrumental students and Santa's arrival at Midcoast Recreational Center in Rockport at 5 pm.

At 6 p.m. Route 1 traffic in Camden, from Union Street to Mountain Street, will be stopped by police for about 20 minutes as the annual parade winds through downtown, escorting Santa Claus to the tree lighting at Harbor Park at 6:30 p.m. Hot drinks will be provided by the Camden Lions Club.

The Rockport Garden Club's annual Holly Berry Fair kicks off at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Rockport Opera House and at 9 a.m. the Thomas F. Chester Memorial Frozen 5K to support ALS charities gets going at Point Lookout in Northport.

Also at 9 a.m., Aldermere Farm will be opening the barn for visits with Oreo cookie cow calves and a workshop to make Beltie holiday ornaments to take home. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Windward Gardens is hosting its annual Craft Market and Open House and First Congregational Church is hosting a Local Artisan Fair.

Santa Claus arrives by boat in Rockport Harbor at 9:30 a.m., which includes free photos with Santa at Rockport Marine made possible by photographer Mark Haskell.

The Holiday Bazaar at Merryspring is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and at noon Santa arrives by tug boat into Camden Harbor, where he will lead kids into the library for a children's story hour. Free photos again with Santa, this time at Twice Upon a Dream, 56 Elm St. in Camden, at 1 p.m.

The Conway House is open from 1 to 4 p.m. for a free Victorian Christmas celebration and at 4 p.m. it's time for the tree lighting, bonfire and carols at Liincolnville Beach, where Santa is due to arrive via fire engine at 4:30 p.m.

Also at 4 p.m., Camden First Congregation Church is having a Christmas choral bell concert, "Ringing in the Season."

Fireworks are set to burst over Camden Harbor at 6 p.m., and from 630-8:30 p.m., Chestnut Street Baptist Church is hosting "A Walk Through Bethlehem" with live animals.

On Sunday, the Conway House again hosts A Victorian Christmas," the Atlantic Ballet Company performs another show of "The Nutcracker," and "Christmas on the Common" gets underway in Union at 6 p.m. with a visit from Father Christmas, a bonfire, carols and free cookies and hot cocoa.

For a complete listing of all of the 27 annual Christmas by the Sea events, including concerts, performances and business open houses, click here.

For more holiday events happening around the Midcoast, visit our Ringing in the Holidays promotion page.

Penobscot Bay Pilot Affiliates and advertisers sponsoring Christmas by the Sea and holding open houses and special events during Christmas by the Sea weekend:

• Adventure Advertising
• Aldermere Farm
• Camden Opera House
• Cappy’s Chowder House
• Country Inn at Camden/Rockport
• French and Brawn Market Place
• Hoboken Gardens
• Maritime Energy
• Mid-Coast Recreation Center
• P.A.W.S.
• Pen Bay Healthcare
• Pen Bay Region Chamber of Commerce
• Point Lookout  Resort and Conference Center
• Thomas Michaels Jewelers

Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards can be reached at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com or 706-6655.