For the fourth consecutive year, the Chocolate Church Arts Center located in Bath has announced a summer schedule that includes some ticketed shows as well as continuation of the free admission concerts throughout downtown Bath. 

On the Chocolate Church main stage The Django Festival Allstars bring the music of the great Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt (1910-1953) fully into the 21st Century on Sunday, July 2 at 7:30 pm. Their unique, unforgettable performances pay tribute to Reinhardt, who is considered one of the greatest guitar players of all time and the first European jazz musician to make major contributions to the development of the jazz guitar genre. On Friday, August 4 at 7:30pm, The Sultans of String will thrill their audience with their genre-hopping passport of Celtic reels, flamenco, Gypsy-jazz, Arabic, Cuban, and South Asian rhythms as they celebrate musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity. Local musicians The Hollowbody Electric Band and Heather Pierson will be opening acts. Tickets for both shows are $25 advance/$28 door and available by calling the box office 207-442-8455 or online www.chocolatechurcharts.org

Theater! A special one evening engagement on Friday, Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. will welcome the Southern Maine Performing Arts Collaboration production of the musical “Working,”  based on Studs Terkel's best-selling book of interviews with American workers. This play, performed by high school students, examines people from all walks of life proving that it's more than just a job for the average working American. Tickets are $10 advance and $12 at the door. 

Traditionally, the Chocolate Church produces free admission concerts that draw thousands of people during the summer. The Chocolate Church will produce the Saturday, July 1 performance line up as part of Main Street Bath’s Heritage Days Festival. Beginning at 11 a.m. in the Library Park gazebo on Washington Street, Porch Lights Duo, (acoustic Americana), will perform, followed by The Howligans (rock and roll), Pretty Girls Sing Soprano (vocal harmonies rock, folk, country, bluegrass) and The Scott Davis Quartet (jazz) concludes the afternoon. 

The following weekend, July 8 and subsequent Saturdays from 6-7:30 p.m. thereafter will be the return of the free admission Summer Concert series in cooperation with the City of Bath in Bath Waterfront Park, located off Commercial Street downtown.

On July 8, the series kicks off with The Strangely Possibles (indie, blues) who perform followed by Pan Fried Steele (steel band) on July 15; The Big Chip Trio (blues, jazz, soul) on July 22; Massachusetts-based DuPont Brothers (folk) plays on July 29; the following Saturday will be Cold Chocolate (Americana, roots, bluegrass); Aug. 12, Papa Tim & Friends (R&B, soul, folk, blues); Aug. 19, Downeast Soul Coalition (R&B, Soul, folk, blues). The series concludes on Aug. 26 with Alison Freeman-Shipmates (maritime chantey).

This summer schedule reflects the best in local, regional, national and international music and local theatre during The Chocolate Church Arts Center’s 40^th Anniversary.  Tickets for these shows are available by calling the box office 207-442-8455,  purchasing online www.chocolatechurcharts.org, or stopping by the CCAC at 804 Washington Street in downtown Bath.