Craft fairs, especially at holiday time, are festive, lively and filled with the sights and smells of the season. These next few weekends a huge variety of fairs are offering unique and lovingly created items for gifts and your own pleasure. Specialty foods abound and many are available for sampling. Here are a few suggestions for holiday shopping, tasting, comparing and enjoying the best the area has to offer.

Nov. 29 and 30

Bonny Eagle Craft Fair, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Bonny Eagle High School, 700 Saco Road, Standish. 175 crafters and specialty food vendors for the holidays.

Scarborough Home for the Holidays Craft Show, Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Scarborough High School, 20 Gorham Road. Maine-made food items.

Nov. 30

Christmas in New England Maine Made Crafts Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Augusta Civic Center, featuring many gifts and gourmet foods.

Dec. 1

Spirit of Christmas Fair, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Bath Middle School, 6 Old Brunswick Road. 100 vendors and delicious foods.

Dec. 7

North Yarmouth Academy Craft Fair, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 148 Main St., Yarmouth. 60 vendors, lunch and music in the café.

Yarmouth Historical Holiday Art and Craft Fair, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Yarmouth History Center, 118 E. Elm St. Holiday baked goods and fiber and paper arts.

Yarmouth Holiday Craft Show, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., AMVETS Hall, 148 North Road, Yarmouth. Maine-made food items.

Shop Till U Drop Craft Fair, Woolwich Central School, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 137 Nequasset Road. Interesting food trucks.

Holiday Craft Fair and Luncheon, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Cundy’s Harbor Community Hall, 837 Cundy’s Harbor Road, Harpswell.

Christmas Fair and Haddock Chowder Lunch, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Blue Point Congregational Church, 236 Pine Point Road, Scarborough. Chowder and baked goods.

Dec. 7 and 8

Pleasant Street Trio of Holiday Fairs – Unitarian Universalist Church, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1 Middle St., Brunswick. St. John’s Catholic School will have a bake sale and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is serving a lunch of homemade soups and breads.

Dec. 8

Confetti: A Holiday Craft Bazaar, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 40 Main St., Biddeford. Artists, vintage goods, food vendors and live music.

Food and beverage events in the Southern Midcoast

Nov. 30

Annual Tree Lighting, 2-5 p.m., Brunswick Mall. Presented by the Brunswick Downtown Association. Activities include hot chocolate and cookies, horse-drawn wagon rides, carols and Santa. Free.

Dec. 7

Mixers & Merriment at the Museum: A Spirited Celebration of Maine Craft Cocktails, 7-9 p.m., Maine Maritime Museum, 243 Washington St., Bath, 443-1316. Tickets start at $20/person plus ticket fee at eventbrite.com and includes sample cocktails, mocktails and tapas from Stone Cove Catering.

Special notes

Bessie’s Farm Goods offers yummy hot soups this week: Thai carrot, sweet potato and coconut milk; Martha’s Stew with turkey, mushrooms, corn, tomatoes and noodles; minestrone with 11 vegetables. Call ahead to reserve your selection, 865-9840, 33 Litchfield Road, Freeport.