Friday, December 19, 2008

Despite Bad Weather, Ogunquit Merchants Prepare for Last Big Holiday Weekend Shopping

OGUNQUIT –
The Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce announces that Christmas by the Sea will occur on December 19-21, 2008. Originally scheduled for December 12-14, the power outages caused a delay in the celebration. The schedule of events will be virtually the same as was planned for last weekend, but the delay has allowed new events to be added to the weekend.
Newly scheduled, will be a Friday night concert with the Patriot Fife and Drum duo. This duo visited Ogunquit in April for our Patriots Day celebration, and were so popular that they were asked to join us for Christmas by the Sea. The duo will perform a mixture of traditional Christmas and American music, using their fife and drum, as well as other instruments.
A minstrel will also be wandering throughout Perkins Cove and various venues in Ogunquit on Saturday night, caroling with his guitar. Wandering Minstrel Dave Peliquin is very popular in the southern Maine area, although this will be his first performance in Ogunquit.
Our members are sched-uling special events for the weekend to augment Christmas by the Sea, including wine tastings, special entertainment, signings, and open houses, for a full weekend of activities. Many businesses that planned to close after last weekend are staying open through the 21st, offering unprecedented sales. Extended sales include 20 percent off any order at Raspberrie’s Restaurant, 15 percent off gift baskets, Maine products and more at Village Food Market, and 10 percent off purchses of six bottles of wine or more at Perkins & Perkins, and special sales at Amore Breakfast, Oceanside Printers and so many more!
Revised schedule of events:
Friday, December 19

CONCERT. 7pm - 8pm. Patriot Fife and Drum Duo. Ogunquit Baptist Church. Sponsored by Seacastles Resort and Anchorage by the Sea.
Saturday, December 20

HAY RIDES. 9am - 3pm. (Weather permitting.)

SANTA ARRIVES AT PERKINS COVE. 9am. Watch as Santa sails into Ogunquit! Then Santa will be whisked away by fire truck to the Fire Station for a 9:30 appointment with waiting children.

VISIT WITH SANTA. 9:30am - 11am. Upstairs at the Fire Station. Have your picture taken with Santa! Photos courtesy of Ogunquit Camera Shop. Treats courtesy of Harbor Candy. Santa courtesy of Revelations Gift Shop.

BASEMENT BAZAAR. 10am - 3pm. Dunaway Center, downstairs. Craft show with a free raffle.

THE “GIVING TREE” SILENT AUCTION. 10:30am - 2pm. Dunaway Center, downstairs. Theme-decorated artificial trees have been donated by local businesses, groups, and individuals, to be silent auctioned. Come bid on the popular Lottery Tree.

KIDS’ ORNAMENT MAKING. 11am - noon. Ogunquit Baptist Church, downstairs. Sponsored by Raspberri’s Restaurant.

CHOWDER & CHOCOLATEFEST. 11:30am - 1:30pm. 19th Annual Chowder Tasting Competition. Dunaway Center, upstairs. Area restaurants compete - you are the judge! Bring a non-perishable food item for our local food pantry. Admission: $10.
Chowder Contenders: Anchorage by the Sea, Beach House Grill, Bintliff’s Ogunquit, Clay Hill Farm, Five-O Shore Road, Hayloft Restaurant, Old Village Inn, Post Road Tavern. Chocolate Contenders: Anchorage by the Sea, Angelina’s Ristorante, Five-O Shore Road, Sundaes at the Beach, Post Road Tavern.

CALENDAR SIGNING. 11 am - 4pm. Nationally known artist Dana Heacock will sign his artwork on the 2009 Abacus calendar at Abacus.

OPEN HOUSE. 1pm - 5pm. Ogunquit Heritage Museum. 18th century decorations, special Santa and angel exhibit, menorah exhibit and holiday refreshments.

STORYTELLING. 2pm - 3pm. Ogunquit Library. Sponsored by Abacus and Almost Home Inn Ogunquit.

THE OLS OCEAN “PLUNGE” - 2:00pm. to 2:15pm. Main Beach, Watch the Ogunquit Lifeguard Service parade into the chilly Atlantic Ocean in their lifeguard gear and with their lifeguard equipment in order to raise toys for disadvantaged kids. All proceeds to benefit Toys for Tots.

CHRISTMAS PARADE. 3pm. Presented by the Village Spirit Committee. Beginning at the Main Beach and ending at Perkins Cove. Chamber float sponsored by Peoples Insurance and Stoneybrook Landscaping.

WINE TASTING. 3pm-6pm. Perkins & Perkins Wine & Cheese Shop will host a free wine tasting highlighting wines for the holidays.

US MARINES & SANTA. 4pm. Ogunquit Ocean Rescue (lifeguards) will join Santa and the US Marines at Bessie’s to collect donations for Toys for Tots!

WANDERING MINSTREL. 4:30pm - 5:30pm. Wandering in and out of the shops in Perkins Cove, the Wandering Minstrel will delight you with familiar and traditional Christmas songs. Sponsored by Jonathan’s Ogunquit.
TREE LIGHTING & CAROLING. 5:30pm - 6:00pm. Rotary Park, Perkins Cove. Tree decorated by Ogunquit Rotary Club. Cookies provided by Blue Willow Gift Shop. Hot cider provided by Village Food Market & Fancy That.

CANDLELIGHT WALK to the LIVING MANGER. 6:00pm - 6:30pm. Led by the Wandering Minstrel. Perkins Cove to Ogunquit Baptist Church. Sponsored by Perkins & Perkins Fine Wine & Cheese.

LIVING MANGER. 6:30pm-6:45pm. Sponsored and performed by Ogunquit Baptist Church.
CONCERT. 7pm - 8pm. Back by popular demand, “Melodies & Memories” Barbershop Quartet. Ogunquit Baptist Church. Doors open at 6:50pm. Sponsored by Seacastles Resort.

TOWN TREE LIGHTING. 8:15pm. Veteran’s Park. Announcement of the town-wide decorating contest winners. Tree decorated by Keith Shubert of Floral Concepts. Cookies provided by Raspberri’s Restaurant. Hot cider provided by Village Food Market & Fancy That.

SING-A-LONG. 9pm. Clay Hill Farm hosts a holiday sing-a-long with pianist David Hollis. Join in the festivities!
Sunday, December 21

HAY RIDES. 10am - 2pm. (Weather permitting.)

FREE GIFT WRAPPING. 11am - 1pm. Gypsy Sweethearts Restaurant. Purchase your holiday gifts at our members’ shops; we’ll wrap for free! Sponsored by Harbor Candy Shop, Gypsy Sweethearts, and Rockmere Lodge.

OPEN HOUSE. 11 am - 2 pm. Julie’s Ristorante & Provisto.

OPEN HOUSE. 1pm - 5pm. Ogunquit Heritage Museum; Anchorage by the Sea;Beachmere Inn; Gazebo Inn Ogunquit; Gorges Grant; Juniper Hill Inn; Meadowmere Resort.