Christmas by the Sea - Camden

Winter turns this idyllic town in Maine a wonderland every year. Even as the weather turns cold, the special events and activities held annually in Camden will certainly make anyone feel warm and energized all over. Summer is not the only season when getaways and adventures are made in Camden – a vacation in any season is always special and definitely worth experiencing.

Each year in December, Camden’s community organizations and businesses sponsor Christmas festivities for all to enjoy. “Christmas by the Sea,” it’s called; a weekend of free celebration with lots of activities for both young and adult. Santa arrives in a boat in Camden harbor instead of the customary sleigh. There is lots of shopping you can do, good food to eat, musical numbers to be watched, horse-drawn rides to go on, parades, and guided tours to join. There is also a traditional tree lighting ceremony.

Ice Carving

The Camden Public Library hosts the annual Camden Winterfest in late January. Their top crowd drawer is the Community Ice Carving event. Watch as big blocks of ice transform into amazing works of art by participating teams using only traditional ice carving tools. There are also free horse and wagon rides for the whole family. Best of all, free warming soup and snacks are provided, donated by the generous local restaurants of Camden.

For the more active people out there, ice related activities are in plenty to do as well. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are very popular in Camden. Try the trails at Camden Hills State Park or try going to nearby Rockport where the Aldermere Farm holds skiing tours during the full moon.

Camden Snowbowl

Enjoy the best chowders, seafood, and everything else Camden restaurants have to offer. Lobster is a definite must to order. Maine is not called the “lobster capital of the world” for nothing, you know.

Check out the Camden Opera House for schedules of their upcoming winter events if you want to enjoy good music and entertainment while vacationing in town. This Victorian-era opera house hosts performances from well known artists of every kind during the Winter season.

U.S. Toboggan Championships

Camden is also home to the U.S. National Toboggan Championships held annually every first weekend in February. The venue is an iced-over, 400-foot long wooden toboggan chute with a vertical incline of over 70 feet that shoots toboggan riders screaming down the hillside onto the frozen ice of Hosmer Pond below. The single wooden track is constructed similar in style to an Olympics luge run. Over 400 teams compete in several divisions at the National Toboggan Championships. They compete in two-, three- and four-man toboggan teams that race down the hillside of Ragged Mountain. The fastest time down in each team division wins with tobogganers typically reaching speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. The event draws over 5000 people each year to witness this outdoor winter sports competition.

To top off your winter adventure, recharge in front of a fireplace in one of our deluxe oceanview rooms and enjoy a hot cup of cocoa in the comfort of your room while watching the moon rise over Penobscot Bay. There are many special discounts available during the Winter season to make your Maine lodging experience at the Ledges By The Bay a truly memorable one this time of year.

U.S. National Toboggan Championships

Looking for something fun to do outside this winter with your family or friends? It is winter time in Maine and it’s that time of year to get on your boots and gloves, pick up your toboggan and head over to the Camden Snow Bowl for some serious sledding fun. Now in its 20th year, the Camden Snow Bowl in Camden, Maine, hosts the annual U.S. National Toboggan Championships on February 5th, 6th and 7th. (This annual event is held the first weekend in February at the Camden Snow Bowl.) Participants come from all over the country, but most are from New England.

Toboggan Chute

The venue is an iced-over, 400-foot long wooden toboggan chute with a vertical incline of over 70 feet that shoots toboggan riders screaming down the hillside onto the frozen ice of Hosmer Pond below. The single wooden track is constructed similar in style to an Olympics luge run. Over 400 teams compete in several divisions at the National Toboggan Championships. They compete in two-, three- and four-man toboggan teams that race down the hillside of Ragged Mountain. The fastest time down in each team division wins with tobogganers typically reaching speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. It’s the one national championship that is sure to get your adrenaline pumping because anyone can particpate. That means if you are so inclined you can become a winner and crowned a national champion. Not much training is required. Fact is, according to event organizers, the teams that usually win are made up of the largest people. And what do the winners get? Notoriety, bragging rights and really cool trophies. What other sporting event offers such instant hope? Of course, registration is required if you would like to participate in the races.

National Toboggan Championships, Camden

The toboggan championships were started as a tongue-and-cheek race but it has become quite an annual sporting event in Camden. The one-chute wooden toboggan run was rebuilt 20 years ago and the first U.S. National Toboggan Championships were held in 1991, drawing a hundred or so local supporters. Today more than 400 teams compete in front of an overflow crowd of 5000. The Annual US National Toboggan Championships features awards in categories including the best team uniform, spirit award, oldest team, fastest family, fastest women’s team and fastest children’s team. There is also a chili and clam chowder cook off, to keep you warm outside in the cold coastal Maine winter air. The Toboggan Championships have become a big, super fun winter sports deal in Camden.

The array of different costumes, the friendly and fun atmosphere, the awesomeness of the wooden chute, the immense beauty of coastal Maine, and the uniqueness of “see the sea while you ski” make the U.S. National Toboggan Championships an event to add to your Winter Fun Calendar. Make some turns on Ragged Mountain, head over to the chute, and just maybe become a national champion! Participant or spectator you are sure to have a great time at this annual winter event.

We are offering a special Maine lodging rate of $59 per night for the U.S. National Toboggan Championships from February 5th-7th. Our National Toboggan Races Rate is based on double occupancy and cannot be combined with any other discount such as AAA or AARP. We offer pet friendly accommodations. Please note that there may be limited availability as specific rooms are designated pet-friendly. Please call us at (800) 898-8944 for availability. There is a $10/night fee for pets.

This offer is not available through travel agents or any other third party booking agent. You must book your reservation through our front reservations desk at 1-800-898-8944 and refer to our National Toboggan Races Rate to get this discounted pricing.