Once again the Boothbay Region Garden Club has outdone itself with its presentation of the annual Festival of Trees, part of the Boothbay Harbor Lights Festival.

The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor is aglow with Christmas trees decorated with every manner of adornments imaginable, including sparkling bulbs, stars, soft fuzzy creatures and, of course, lights.

The garden club's vice president, Barbara Barnhurst, said that 33 trees have been donated for the silent auction, with guests bidding on their favorite trees. The bidding ends Sunday at 2 p.m. and the highest bidders will get the trees.

“The big attraction is the Tony Van Hasselt painting, which will be raffled off,” Barnhurst said. The painting is of a scene at the farmers market that takes place each Thursday throughout the summer months.

There are myriad tables laden with natural handmade garden-inspired items, fresh greens, wreaths swags and arrangements.

One of the more popular tables was being manned (or womaned) by Linda Redman and Abbie Shaw. “We have workshops to make the birdhouses and cranberry kissing balls,” Redman said. “Boothbay Region Greenhouses donates some of the hardware items, and most of the items were made by members and volunteers of the Boothbay Region Garden Club.” Redman loves to make things that can be made from items found during a walk in the woods.

There are food items, including homemade candies and baked goods, and gifts from some of the area's shops for sale.

For anyone who wants a smaller tree, there is a display of decorated ones available for purchase.

There are also several raffles for people to take a chance at winning different items donated by local people and businesses.

Proceeds from the festival support the Garden Club’s civic projects in the community including college scholarships, YMCA camperships, youth gardening projects, planting and maintaining local memorial gardens and window boxes, garden therapy programs at St. Andrews Village, Meals on Wheels, and the local food pantry and animal shelter.

The festival hours are Dec. 4 from noon to 7 p.m., Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Admission and parking are free. The Opera House is handicapped-accessible.

For additional information, contact Barbara Barnhurst at 207-350-4291.

See more photos in the Harbor Lights photo album at www.boothbayregister.com.