On Nov. 17, I had the distinct pleasure, along with the other Midcoast Maine Islands Tourism Council members, to attend the “Gardens Aglow” preview night at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Harbor. This top-notch event was highlighted by a lighting ceremony, recognition of sponsors, drinks, appetizers and a tour of the amazing lit gardens with tens of thousands of lights.

It was more than that though. It was the employees in attendance with their loved ones, beaming with pride showing off the work they had created. It was the entire staff of the Maine Office of Tourism in attendance, along with the marketing company from Minnesota who planned their trip to Maine to coincide with this.

It was the soup station, the fairy houses, and the overall design where each section of the gardens was decorated in a similar way to distinguish it as its own “neighborhood,” while adding fully to the collective. By that I mean, in some sections all the trunks are lit while only some of the tree tops are, while in other sections the hanging limbs are lit while only a few trunks are. It reminded me of a museum where different types of trees were being highlighted in different sections.

The design is masterful and the hours, and hours of work are so clearly evident, that it is obvious to all that this is not an accomplishment of just one visionary, but rather several dozen employees, administrators, fundraisers, sponsors and volunteers — a true team effort. If you haven’t been, you need to go. Check out more information at mainegardens.org.

So why is the Brunswick-Topsham- Bath-Harpswell chamber director telling you to go to Boothbay Harbor?

Because every time a neighbor has success, we have success too. Every time a new visitor comes through our region, whether we are the destination or not, we have an opportunity to showcase ourselves.

Because there are no more borders — we are all in this together, and the sooner we support the partnerships in the region, the sooner we will capitalize on the successes of one another.

Last year, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens thought they would get 5,000- 6,000 visitors for “Gardens Aglow.” They got 36,000. They are expecting more than 50,000 this year.

Some of these people are local, some are visiting family members, some are friends, and some, in fact, are us. But every time an attendee stops for gas, or dinner, or to grab a hotel room on their way to or from the “Gardens Aglow,” another business gets a bump. Every hot cocoa, stocking stuffer, and visitor who stays for breakfast at the local diner helps our regional economy.

Tourists are looking for experiences more than ever before. You will notice it in the Maine Office of Tourism marketing. “Experience Maine.” “Find your adventure.” “What’s your Maine Thing?” These phrases have been used time and again by the Office of Tourism or individual tourism-related businesses.

People are constantly looking for experiences, and family experiences, in particular. And in the search for truly unique things to do in the winter, very few locations in New England can match the assets that the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens have and even less have figured out how to leverage that into a tourism experience as well as they have accomplished it.

We need to celebrate it, and encourage our friends from away and our local families to go out and soak in the electric glow of this holiday experience and the magical feelings it provides. We need to post pictures so more people hear about it and come search it out. Sometimes less is more, but in this case, more is more. Pile on. Because when we do, we all benefit.

Do it because it’s the holiday season and you want to support something bigger than yourself. Do it because those who take your advice will seek it again. Do it because there isn’t enough magic in the world, and every time you can experience something close to it you don’t want to pass that up. Do it because it may start a new family tradition. Do it because this spring, summer or fall, there may be an event in your town that those in Boothbay Harbor will tell their friends about, because you helped them.

If you do that, before long we are not just a series of towns dotting the Maine coastline, we actually become one giant regional community all in it to help each other — and when we become that — everybody wins.

So from your partners from the south, to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, I raise my glass of eggnog in a toast to you. Congratulations on your monumental success and I hope your attendance surpasses even your boldest predictions. Cheers.