Santa visits, bell-ringers, Christmas music, craft fairs, a parade and horse drawn wagon rides are a few of the events scheduled this weekend during the Winthrop Lakes Region Holiday Festival in the communities of Winthrop, Wayne, Readfield and Monmouth, according to a news release from Barbara Walsh, Winthrop Lakes Region Chamber director.

The weekend festival will begin Friday, Dec. 6, with the annual tree lighting and caroling at 6:30 p.m. at the Readfield Community Library at 1151 Main St. The festivities will continue at the Readfield Town Office with cookies, cocoa and a visit from Santa.

Saturday, Dec. 7, will kick off the Wayne Holiday Stroll at 9 a.m. and continues through 5 p.m. Local crafters, potters, jam makers and bakers in Wayne Village will open their doors for holiday shoppers.  The stroll also will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

In Monmouth, the town’s annual breakfast with Santa is scheduled from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the Monmouth Fire Department’s Central Station on Main Street. Tickets cost $6 per person or $20 per family.

Craft fairs begin at 9 a.m. at the Winthrop Grade School on Highland Avenue, the Winthrop Congregational Church on Main Street, and St. Andrew’s Church at 219 Winthrop Center Road.

The Friends of the Bailey Public Library in Winthrop will hold its pie and book sale from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bowdoin Street library. At 10:30 a.m., holiday crafts and games will be offered for children. The Slow Jam Acoustic Group will play from 10:30 a.m. to noon, and Winthrop Area Hand Bell Ringers will perform at 1:30 p.m.

Horse-drawn wagon rides will also be offered Saturday from 11 a.m .to 2 p.m. for free. The wagons, sponsored by the Winthrop Plays Outside committee, will depart at Norcross Point and continue down Memorial Drive.

The highlight of the day — the 35th annual Winthrop Holiday Parade, sponsored by the Winthrop Lakes Region Chamber — will begin 3:30 p.m. Saturday, starting at Cumberland Farms and continuing through downtown Main Street. Following the parade, Everything Kids at 41 Main St. will host a visit with Santa.

For more information, contact the Winthrop Lakes Region Chamber at 377-8020 or info@winthropchamber.org.