All summer long catch dramatic productions (Jesus Christ Superstar, Nunsense II, and assorted other lighthearted family-friendly shows) compliments of Booth Productions (13 Beach St., 207/646-8142, www.boothproductions.com), which runs a community theater by the shore.

The highly regarded Ogunquit Playhouse (10 Main St., 207/646-5511, www.ogunquitplayhouse.org, summer only) stages comedies, musicals, and other off-broadway productions throughout the season.

Ogunquit celebrates each fall with the aptly named OgunquitFest (late Oct., 207/646-2939, www.visitogunquit.org) a Halloweentime celebration featuring a road race, haunted house, craft sales, and ghost stories about forlorn pirates and sea captains.

Holidays see the annual town-wide Christmas by the Sea Festival (mid-Dec., 207/646-2939, www.visitogunquit.org), an extravaganza of bonfires, caroling, parades, open houses, and a chowderfest.

Queer-Friendly Ogunquit

Like Provincetown on the tip of Cape Cod, Ogunquit has long been a welcoming place for gay and lesbian beachgoers. It’s generally seen as a more relaxed alternative to the frenetic P-Town scene, but boasts plenty of nightlife as well. A gay and lesbian crowd tends to gather in the middle section of the beach, between the Main Beach and Footbridge Beach.

At night, the living room of the community is the Front Porch Piano Bar (9 Shore Rd., Ogunquit, 207/646-4005, www.thefrontporch.net), a hopping live piano bar open Friday and Saturday nights to a friendly, boisterous crowd. Also lots of fun is Oxygen Lounge (237 Main St., Portland, 207/646-6655, www.oxygenbarogunquit.com), a newer cocktail lounge and wine bar with a sleek modern interior.

Just down the street, Maine Street Video Bar (195 Main St., Ogunquit, 207/646-5101, www.mainestreetogunquit.com) is the center of gay nightlife in the town, with karaoke and DJ’d dance nights, as well as an outdoor patio and monthly women-only dances.