Spring blooms with a variety of entertainment as the Chocolate Church Arts Center welcomes the return of American singer-songwriter and musician Jonathan Edwards on Friday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. As a precursor the Earth Day, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, there will be the all-ages show Earth, Air & Seas that is part musical performance, part environmentalism, and 10 0percent fun! Then Saturday night at  7:30 p.m.,  the energetic and exciting band Sultans of String will perform.

A Jonathan Edwards’ concert is as summer sunshine. His music is as real as the truth. And his return to the Chocolate Church is like a long overdue visit between old friends. Four decades into a stellar career of uncompromising musical integrity, the man simply delivers, night after night - songs of passion, songs of insight, songs of humor, all rendered in that pure and powerful tenor which, like fine wine, has only grown sweeter with age. This is one veteran performer who is neither grizzled nor nostalgic. 

Edwards’ highly respected repertoire includes such classics as "Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy," "Sometimes," "One Day Closer," "Don't Cry Blue," "Emma," "Everybody Knows Her," "Athens County," and everyone's favorite ode to putting a good time on, "Shanty." And then, of course, there's “Sunshine (Go Away Today)," that fierce proclamation of protest and independence that resonated with thousands and thousands of frustrated and angry young men and women when it was first released in 1971. Almost 40 years later, at show after show, the song continues to be embraced by faithful followers and new fans alike. Tickets are $30 in advance and $34 at the door.

The Earth, Seas & Air show by Canadian musician Chris McKhool continues the tradition of offering family entertainment for children of all ages during spring school break. This award-winning show is fully interactive and takes the audience beyond the three R’s of ecology (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) to a new level of understanding of our global connection to forests, air, water, and animals. Everyone leaves with the feeling that they can really make a difference. Tickets for the Saturday, April 21 at 2 p.m. are $15; children under 12 are $10.

The Sultans of String, who are 3x JUNO (Canada’s Grammy) nominees & SiriusXM Award winners, serve up a musical passport of Celtic reels, Flamenco, Gypsy-jazz, Arabic, and Cuban rhythms, with fiery violin dances and kinetic guitar, while funky bass lays down unstoppable grooves. Throughout, acoustic strings meet electronic wizardry to create layers and depth of sound. Chris McKhool leads this trio Saturday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m. with his bold and fiery 5-string violin that melds seamlessly with founding guitarist Kevin Laliberté’s rumba rhythm. Together their musical synergy created Sultans of String’s signature sound – the intimate and playful relationship between violin and guitar. Added to this rich foundation is bass master Drew Birston. Tickets are $18 advance and $22 at the door.

Tickets for all shows are available by calling the Chocolate Church box office at 207-442-8455 and online www.chocolatechurcharts.org.  The Chocolate Church Arts Center is located at 804 Washington Street in Bath.