Learn more about the beautiful Rockland Lobster Trap Tree in the Mildred B. Merril Park in Rockland, Maine!
Address: 256 South Main St, Rockland, ME 04841
Directions: HERE
Rockland, Maine is a beautiful coastal city located on the rocky coast of Penobscot Bay. It is a popular tourist destination due to its unique combination of outdoor activities and maritime history. Its location along the ocean gives visitors the opportunity to explore nearby islands and lighthouses, kayak or sail along the shoreline, and explore the quaint downtown area. Rockland is also home to the Farnsworth Art Museum, where visitors can explore the region’s abundant culture through art and photography. With its picturesque scenery, excellent restaurants, and interesting attractions, Rockland is an ideal destination for visitors looking for a getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Rockland is a wonderful city to visit year-round and it is especially magical during the holiday season. During the holidays, the whole downtown area is decorated with Christmas trees, lights, wreaths, and more. One of the biggest highlights of the decorated Main Street is the Rockland Lobster Trap Tree which has been a tradition since 2005.
The Rockland Lobster Trap Tree in Mildred B. Merril Park is not your typical Christmas tree. First off, it is not a fir or spruce tree, but rather constructed using lobster traps. The tree is made up of about 200 individual lobster traps and hundreds of zip ties. Each trap is donated by Brooks Trap Mill which has one of the largest inventory of lobstering materials in the industry. In total, the lobster trap tree stands 40-feet tall.
To make the tree more festive, it is decorated with 2,500 lights and more than 100 lobster buoys. It is also wrapped with about 600 feet of natural green garland that looks stunning and smells so good too! At the very top of the tree is a large red lobster statue that comes from the nearby Trade Winds Inn.
Each winter there is a tree lighting event to celebrate the Rockland Lobster Trap Tree and the holiday season. The tree lighting occurs the Friday after Thanksgiving. The day kicks off with Santa arriving to Rockland via a U.S. Coast Guard vessel at noon. Santa then heads downtown to cut a ribbon and officially announced that Rockland is “Open for The Holidays.” Following the ribbon cutting, Santa heads to the Mildred Merrill Park where he greets children and asks what they would like for Christmas. The tree in the park officially lights up at 6pm. The tree lighting always brings in a large crowds.
Rockland, Maine truly is a magical place to visit during the holiday season. Rockland Main Street, Inc is a big reason for how successful the city events are during the winter. The organization is behind the lobster trap tree creation and also running many other events leading up to Christmas such as visits from Santa, shop sales, and more!
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