ROCKLAND — Rockland’s Festival of Lights kicked off at noon Friday, Nov. 29, with the arrival of Santa Claus aboard a U.S. Coast Guard boat. After disembarking at the public landing, Santa and Mrs. Claus went to his workshop in Mildred Merrill Park next to the Lobster Trap Tree, where he spent the afternoon listening to childrens’ wishes for Christmas Day. Later that evening, the community turned out in force to watch the lighting of the tree, followed by a brief ceremony that included a round of Christmas carols led by Rockland City Council members.

Rockland Mayor Larry Pritchett also gave a quick thank-you to all who attended.

“If you’re from Rockland, thank-you for coming out tonight and celebrating the start of the holiday season as a community with all of us,” he said. “If you’re from the surrounding towns, if your visiting from out of state, welcome to Rockland and thank-you for being a part of this great celebration.”

Newly elected Rockland City Councilor Louise MacLellan-Ruf took a moment to give her impression of the ceremony.  

“I think it’s fabulous,” she said. “I know Rockland Maine Street, Loraine Francis and Paul Benjamin have gone to great lengths to work to get this all up and running, and I think it brings our community closer together this Thanksgiving.”

Phyllis Von Herrlich, who is from the Augusta Downtown Alliance, said she came to Rockland to see how the city does its tree lighting ceremony. “Even though they haven’t lit the tree yet, I saw the video of them putting the tree up and I was just blown away. It was amazing, just amazing, so I had to come and see it. We have a big tree in the center of town, and we’ll be lighting it tomorrow,” Von Herrlich said.

Camden National Bank, which sponsored the tree lighting, set up a tent and provided free hot chocolate and cookies for the revelers. Jeff Charlant, retail regional manager for the bank, also spoke briefly to the crowd.

“As we all gather in this season of Thanksgiving and proceed forward into the season of celebration and we gather with family and friends and our community, I can’t imagine any place I’d rather be than right here, right now, in this amazing community, Rockland, Maine.”

Jim Robishaw and family, from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., said they were thrilled to be in Rockland for the festivities.

“We’ve been vacationing in Maine for four generations. We stay at the Samoset Resort and we volunteer for the Lobster Festival every year. Spending Thanksgiving in Maine was something that we did when we were younger and we decided to start the tradition again.”

Rockland's Festival of Lights continues Saturday with Santa in his workshop from noon to 3 p.m. Horse drawn carrage rides from 1 to 3 p.m. and the Festival of Lights parade that begins at 6 p.m. down Main Street with judging to follow.