SEARSPORT — The holiday season will be celebrated with in Searsport Friday, Dec. 4 and Saturday, Dec. 5, during the Victorian Christmas at Penobscot Marine Museum. The ship captain's house will be open to the public with each room decorated for a Victorian Christmas by community groups and businesses, including the Congregational Church Women's Fellowship Group, Searsport Historical Society, Searsport Beautification Committee, Blue Jacket Shipcrafters, Bangor Savings Bank and Searsport Antique Mall.

There will be refreshments, music performed by boatbuilder Ralph Stanley and his fiddle group, and volunteers from Searsport's Carver Library will be reading from 19th Christmas favorites.

On Friday night the Museum Store will host a "Meet the Maine Authors" party in celebration of the annual Town of Searsport Tree Lighting party on the Crescent. The museum's annual gingerbread competition, Maritime Christmas Gingerbread By the Sea, will be on display and refreshments will be served.

Searsport Christmas Extravaganza schedule of events
Admission free unless otherwise indicated

Friday, Dec. 4

5:30 p.m. — Tree Lighting on the Crescent
10 a.m.-7 p.m. — Customer Appreciation Open House at Grasshopper Shop
4-6 p.m. — Open House at Penobscot Marine Museum's Fowler-True-Ross Sea Captain's House
4-6 p.m. — Meet the Authors at Penobscot Marine Museum Store
• Ardeana Hamlin — Abbott's Reach, The Havener Sisters
• Douglas Coffin — One Maine Christmas Eve
• Mac Smith — Mainers on the Titanic
• Mark Scott Ricketts — A Flatlander's Guide to Maine, Adventures in Vacationland
• Mark Warner — The Tragedy of the Royal Tar
• Russ Cox (illustrator) — Merry Moosey Christmas
As well as the Christmas Gingerbread display, White Christmas dress on display and refreshments.
4-6 p.m. — Tours of First Congregational Church
• Historical tours of this 19th century church and its stained glass windows
• Refreshments served in Fellowship Hall
7 p.m. — Variety Show at Union Hall at Searsport Town Office
• Holiday Season Variety Show to benefit the stained glass window restoration fund for First Congregational Church. Something for everyone of all ages – songs, stories, music and a whole lot of fun. Adults $8, kids 12 and under $4. Refreshments available for purchase.

Saturday, Dec. 5

10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Open House at Penobscot Marine Museum's Fowler-True-Ross Sea Captain's House (Searsport Historic Society House Tour)
10 a.m.-noon — Live music: Ralph Stanley and his fiddle group
2-3 p.m. — Live music: ensemble from the Pen Bay Singers
1-3 p.m. — Christmas readings from 19th century Christmas favorites read by Carver Library librarian Katie Hessler
10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Holiday displays at Penobscot Marine Museum Store
• Christmas Gingerbread display
• White Christmas dress on display
10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Tours of First Congregational Church
• Historical tours of this 19th century church with its stained glass windows
• Refreshments served in Fellowship Hall
1-4 p.m. — Searsport Historical Society House Tour
• Beautifully decorated for Christmas, tour the homes of Dawn and Keith Ritchie, Suzanne and Joel Ploszaj, Lin Calista and George Kerper, Janet Williams, Marie Underwood, Kendra and Bruce Probert and the Fowler-True-Ross house at the Penobscot Marine Museum.
• Tickets are $10, and available for purchase at Searsport Antique Mall and on the day of the tour at Searsport Historical Society's Coleman House
• Refreshments served at Searsport Historical Society's Coleman House
• Decorated Penobscot #1 fire engine in the barn doorway of Coleman House
10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Gift Book Sale at Carver Memorial Library, 12 Union St.
Rare and first edition books on sale to support the Library
2 p.m. — Christmas Concert at Searsport District High School
• Tempo - The Eastern Maine Pops Orchestra Christmas Cheer Concerts - will perform traditional and modern arrangements of carols.