Do You Sparkle? Will You Sparkle in Freeport?

Sparkle? What is Sparkle? More specifically, what is Sparkle in Freeport and why would I want to do it?

Sparkle weekend in Freeport, Maine is traditionally the first weekend in December each year, and marks the kickoff of the Christmas season with a Parade of Lights, Talking Chrismas Tree, Tuba Concert, and many other favorites. This year it is December 2-3, 2011, with the Jingle Bell Run taking place on Main Street on December 4.

Sparkle follows close on the heels of our Moonlight Madness even on the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 25, where you can shop in Freeport's outlets in the wee hours of the morning.

All of this activity takes place throughout Freeport Village, while L.L. Bean is simultaneously hosting their Northern Lights Celebration so there is plenty to do for the entire family.

There's a lot going on in Freeport in the coming weeks! Be sure to check our availability calendar to see when you would like to book your room!

That was fast! Final foliage report for Maine...

It seems like only a few short weeks ago that we were excitedly posting the first foliage report for Maine for 2011.

Oh, wait. It was only a few short weeks ago! Where did the leaves time  go?

Just last week we were driving along I-295, admiring the beautiful fall foliage, and thinking it would be just another week and the colors would be at their peak. But in the blink of an eye (OK, in just a few days) it has all passed, and we're now past peak in virtually the entire state.

Of course, there are still isolated spots with nice color, but the sense that everywhere you turn is filled with beautiful color is already gone. Sigh.

Hence, we are moving on, and posted about the less well-known November activities in Freeport earlier this week.

And, moving on from there, we will be posting more in coming weeks about Freeport's annual Sparkle Weekend, with its parades, sales, Christmas lights, and more, followed by all the holiday activities and the giant L.L. Bean New Years Celebration (don't forget, 2012 is a leap year!).

Freeport Maine: November's Best Kept Secret

As the summer fades into a memory, and the fall foliage season flutters to a close with the dropping of the last of the leaves, Freeport becomes a quiet village again. Gone are the crowds of bargain hunters that filled the shops and outlets over the past several months.

Gone, too, are summer's high-season prices. Merchants are changing their inventory in anticipation of the busy Christmas season, so are clearing their shelves to make room. Many lodging properties have dropped their rates for the fall season, making it a great time to visit Freeport.

November can be a delightful time to be in Freeport. While autumn brings greater chance of rain, or even a snow flurry, weather is often lovely, significant snowfall is still a few weeks away, and the quiet stores make for easy shopping, to search out the best bargains.

Mid-November brings the Girlfriends Getaway weekend (November 11-13), with specials and sales all over town.

L.L. Bean's Northern Lights Celebration begins November 18 and continues through New Years' Eve. It includes lighting of a giant Christmas tree, demonstrations and displays all through the season.

A bit later in the month is Thanksgiving weekend, with more specials, and the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. On Thanksgiving Day, the Maine Dining Room at the Harraseeket Inn generally offers its all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving Dinner, with a huge spread of everything from traditional ham and turkey to lobster (contact the Harraseeket Inn for information and dinner reservations).

On Friday, November 25, Freeport's Moonlight Madness kicks off Black Friday, with fun, gifts, and sales throughout the village. This is a great way, and a great location, to start (and quite possibly finish) your Christmas shopping!

What a wonderful time of year November in Freeport can be! Don't miss it!

A Day Trip to See New England Fall Foliage

Some of our guests in late September had hoped to be able to tour some of Maine's fall foliage areas and see the vibrant fall colors we are known for. While the leaves have begun to turn in many places, it is quite clear that the best is yet to come.

Meanwhile, areas to the north and west of us are well along in their colors. As a result, to see the better colors while it is still a bit early for the best color in the midcoast area, you can drive north and west to see some wonderful foliage.

Just about two hours drive from Brewster House will bring you to Rangeley Lake and all of its wonderful wooded areas. They are very scenic in their own right, and our guests tell us that the trees are filled with color right now. While there, if you wait until dusk, you may even find some moose grazing by the roads.

Another option is to drive west on US-302 to Fryeburg, Maine, on the New Hampshire border, where you can see an old covered bridge among the fall foliage, then continue to North Conway, New Hampshire, for a bit of outlet shopping and a drive up the magnificent Kancamagus Highway for a view of the fall colors in the mountains. Even with all that area to cover, you're still only about 2 hours from Brewster House.

Whether you visit the fall colors in other areas, if you come early, or here in Freeport, you'll love the fall foliage throughout the New England region.