Chocolate Church Arts Center

06/02/2026

𝑮𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓: 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒌𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 & 𝑭𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 is just around the corner!

Swipe to see the exciting menu put together by 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐡𝐝𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧 featuring delicious indigenous Maine food and drinks, like maple coolers, bison sliders, and corn minis. This array of delights is all thanks to Penobscot Nation member, chef, and food sovereignty advocate 𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨, whose work highlights Indigenous culinary traditions and contemporary expression.

Organized by the 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥, Gather: Folklives & Foodways promises an evening of sharing culture through food, music, and conversation. The event will feature performances by blues artist and Maine journalist 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬, along with Penobscot Nation member, musician, and multimedia artist 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐲, who blends traditional Wabanaki songs with electronic music and visual technology.

And not to be missed — the Maine-based 𝐀𝐥-𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐪 𝐄𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 will play ballads and folks songs from across the Middle East using traditional instruments as accompaniment to Dabke — line dancing at weddings, harvests, and other community events — so come prepared to clap and dance!

Come one come all! Gather with us on Saturday, June 13 at the Chocolate Church Arts Center!

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟑
𝟓:𝟎𝟎 - 𝟖:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌
🎟️ https://www.chocolatechurcharts.org/events/gather-folklives-and-foodways-13-jun

05/29/2026

Help us reach our $30,000 goal to re-pave our disasterous parking lot! Link to donate: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/OYzW3ljJK_w2qqsXJ571bg

05/29/2026

Annual festival honors cultural heritage across the nation.

05/28/2026

Here's what to expect at our upcoming event, Gather: Folklives and Foodways on June 13 at the Chocolate Church Arts Center!

Join us right at 5pm for food, lovingly prepared by Katahdin Kitchen. At 6pm we'll hear from our three musical guests, Samuel James, Firefly the Hybrid, and the Al-Mashreq Ensemble. Then Jasmine Tintor of Katahdin Kitchen will join us for a panel discussion to explore Folklives and Foodways of Maine.

Get your tickets today!

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Thank you to our Core Corporate Sponsor, HeadInvest Wealth Management.
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This event is part of By the People: Conversations Beyond 250, a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

05/26/2026

“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭.”

𝗔𝗻 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀 with internationally acclaimed philosopher, poet, and public intellectual 𝗗𝗿. 𝗕𝗮𝘆𝗼 𝗔𝗸𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗳𝗲 has moved to the Main Stage on 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮 due to the huge response from our community!

This exciting event offers the rare opportunity to engage with one of the most compelling and poetic voices in global philosophy. Drawing from Yoruba cosmology, psychology, and social critique, Akomolafe invites audiences into a timely exploration of uncertainty and upheaval, sanctuary and displacement. “The times are urgent; let us slow down”, is his invitation to challenge our rush to solve problems with linear solutions, and notice the cracks where transformation becomes possible.

Author of These Wilds Beyond Our Fences and founder of The Emergence Network, Akomolafe has become one of the most compelling voices in contemporary global thought. The event is co-sponsored by the 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹.

✨𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮 ✨
𝟲:𝟯𝟬𝗣𝗠 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲
𝗧𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 $𝟱-𝟮𝟬
🎟️ https://www.chocolatechurcharts.org/events/an-evening-of-ideas-with-bayo-akomolafe-when-gods-migrate-02-jun

The Chocolate Church Arts Center is a community-centered visual and performing arts center serving midcoast Maine for more than 40 years. The Chocolate Church Arts Center offers a rich program of live music and theatre performances, music education, and Art Lab programs for all ages.

05/26/2026

We've got a few more spots at the Chocolate Church Arts Center for guitar, bass guitar, or percussion with Freddy Larrosa this summer! From one of his current students, Zoe: "I have greatly enjoyed my guitar lessons with Freddy. He has helped me work on solidifying the basics while preserving the fun that comes with exploring auditory creativity."

05/24/2026

We are over halfway to our goal! Pitch in this week to get us over the edge and help us finance one of our biggest renovations of the year: turning our dry cracked driveway into a smooth and finished parking lot for our staff, visitors, and audiences to walk and drive safely on.

Now through June 3rd, we need to raise $30,000 in order to unlock the generous matching gifts of three donors and reach the project total of $60,000.

With your support, we will continue to bring vital arts and vibrant community to Midcoast Maine, and potentially save some car tires and ankles in the process!

✨Donate here✨
https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/hmeP1PM5_Fqj9m1qZU15SA

05/21/2026

Get your tickets here for June 13 at the Chocolate Church Arts Center : https://www.chocolatechurcharts.org/events/gather-folklives-and-foodways-13-jun

05/19/2026

Our time with Billy Prine and Scarlett; a beautiful evening of songs and stories of the great American songwriter John Prine. This deeply personal tribute was a gift to hear live, thank you to everyone who filled the house and shared it with us!

05/18/2026

We hope you will join us for food, lovingly prepared by Jasmine Tintor and Katahdin Kitchen, at 5pm on June 13th at the Chocolate Church Arts Center!

Jasmine Tintor (she/her) As a Penobscot Nation member, Jasmine Tintor (Jazz) uplifts her community through food, culture, education, and nature. In addition to her work building resilience and food sovereignty, Jazz is co-owner of Katahdin Kitchen, Program Coordinator at Nibezun, and supporter of initiatives like Niweskok and Outdoor Equity Fund Workgroup.

Get your tickets now via the link in the comments!