CAMDEN — Christmas by the Sea organizers and participants couldn’t have asked for a better night for the annual parade through downtown Camden, and all the accompanying side activities before and after.

The 37th annual Christmas by the Sea event kicked off in Camden Public Library, where students from Camden Hills Regional High School sang under the direction of Kim Murphy. At 6 p.m. it was out onto the sidewalks for the big event - the arrival of Santa Claus and the lighting of the community’s tree in Harbor Park.

Throngs of people crowded the sidewalks downtown, while some watched from inside stores and restaurants, as maybe one of the longest parades in Christmas by the Sea history made its way from Union Street to Atlantic Avenue. After lighting the tree, carols were sung and then shopping continued as local merchants stayed open late

Camden National Bank held an open house with refreshments and singing inside, while a horse drawn carriage offered rides through downtown. There was something for everybody.

Check out the photo gallery of the night’s events and relive Christmas by the Sea 2016.