An always popular annual tradition in Boothbay Harbor, the Festival of Trees, is once again lighting up the Opera House. The event opened to the public on Friday, Dec. 2 and is part of the Boothbay Harbor Lights Festival.

Opening at 1 p.m., 43 beautifully decorated trees were on display, and by Sunday they'll all be spoken for. The trees, all donated by local people and businesses, will be auctioned off via silent auction. Tickets for bids are available inside the door. The bidding ends Sunday at 2 p.m.

The event is organized and presented by the Boothbay Region Garden Club.

Garden club chairman Kathleen Marty said there are 118 items up for silent auction and raffle this year, including 43 trees, and gift packages and donated items from local shops.

Baked goods and candy for sale are wrapped festively.

If your Christmas tree tastes lean toward smaller, artificial trees, there are several decorated ones to choose from.

Several raffles are offered for a chance to win specialty items donated by local businesses and organizations.

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 and the area around the base of the Civil War monument in Boothbay Center. The club also offers garden therapy programs at St. Andrews Village and it hangs wreaths, every Christmas season, on local town buildings.

Marty said club members give 40-plus fully lighted trees, artificial and real, to selected families who need a little Christmas cheer. The trees include lights, stands and ornaments. “Everything that we do is to fund something in the community, to give back,” she said.

Raffle ticket winners will be drawn at 2:30 on Saturday, Dec. 3.

The Festival of Trees is open to the public from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m on Friday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3.

See more photos here.