The State Theatre of Modesto

10/10/2026

LearningQuest - Stanislaus Literacy Centers making a difference in our community!
Thank you LQ and again, congratulations '26 Graduates!
🎓🎊✨️

10/10/2026

Sponsored by: ModestoView and Sierra Pacific Warehouse Group!

🎙️⚡The ILL LIST 💥📜returns for its 21st year, bringing eight extraordinary spoken-word artists to Modesto for one unforgettable night of original poetry, fierce competition, audience participation, and free expression. This year marks one of the widest-reaching ILL LIST competitions in our history: all eight competing poets are traveling from out of state to take the stage at Modesto’s historic State Theatre.

🎟️✨Saturday Dec. 12, 2026
Doors at 6:30 PM | Show at 7:30 PM

These nationally recognized performers and slam champions represent some of the most powerful voices in contemporary spoken word, coming together for a high-energy literary showdown where every poem, every point, and every audience reaction matters.
Through three exhilarating rounds of original poetry, eight poets will go head-to-head—matching metaphor for metaphor and line for line—as randomly selected audience judges score each performance with $1,500 in cash prizes going to the first- and second-place finishers.

And this year, the audience gets an even bigger voice!

For the first time, The ILL LIST will introduce a $500 Audience Choice Award, giving everyone in the theatre the opportunity to vote for the poet who moves them most. The Audience Choice Award is completely separate from the judges’ scores and final standings, which means any of the eight competing poets can win it, regardless of whether they advance to the final round.

For more than two decades, The ILL LIST has brought hundreds of people together each year—from students and educators to artists, community leaders, longtime poetry lovers, and people experiencing spoken word for the very first time. Your laughter, applause, reactions, and energy are part of the show.

Eight poets. Three rounds. $2,000 in total prize money. And for the first time, your vote helps decide who takes home $500.

Come experience why The ILL LIST has become the country’s preeminent poetry slam as we celebrate the raw power of spoken word right here in Modesto, CA!

🗣️❤️ This is a Free Speech event.
Grab tickets now!
https://thestate.org/events/the-ill-list-21-poetry-slam-invitational-122026/

10/10/2026

🚜💥🪏 DIGGER is coming to The State Theatre!
🎬🍿 Starting Friday Nov. 20, 2026 through Sunday Nov. 29, 2026!

The most powerful man in the world embarks on a high-stakes, frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s ultimate savior before the catastrophic disaster he unleashed destroys everything!
🌎⚰️ "I didn't come to fix the world... I came to dig it out of the grave!"

Hold onto your seats for an absolute thrill ride on the big screen!
Trailer, showtimes & tickets:
https://thestate.org/films/digger-112026/

10/10/2026

🐮🌾Coming to the Modesto State Theatre!
World Without Cows - a documentary
Starting Friday Oct. 23, 2026 through Saturday Nov. 7, 2026!

🚜🌱Through interviews with farmers, ranchers, scientists and other experts in agriculture and environmental science, World Without Cows delves into the complex and often-surprising ways cows impact our world. This compelling exploration is led by two award-winning journalists who now work in agriculture. The filmmakers traveled to more than 40 global locations to examine the cultural and economic significance of cows, their role in nourishing the world and their impact on climate — and to answer the question, “Are we better off in a world without cows?”

https://worldwithoutcows.com/
Don't miss this compelling, global exploration on the big screen!
'Moo-ve' on down to Downtown Modesto and meet us at the State!

Showtimes & tickets:
https://thestate.org/films/world-without-cows-102026/

10/10/2026

🧙‍♀️🔮✨️ And we need a whole BUNCH of it!

Thank you for being with us!

Hocus pocus !!

10/09/2026

🕵🏼‍♀️🔎🕵🏼‍♂️ Happening Saturday Oct. 17, 2026 at 1PM!
Right here at The State Theatre of Modesto!
The 2nd Annual Modesto Confidential!

The Untold Stories. The True Crime.
The Hidden Evidence. The Real Detectives.

A 21 & Over Event you won't want to miss!
🍸🥂 Drinks & appetizers: 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM
🪑🎁 Presentations & Raffle Drawings: 3:30 PM – 7:00 PM

***Presented by Modesto Police Investigators Association (MPIA)*** – A local nonprofit organization supporting victims and families impacted by violent crimes, contributing funding toward cold case homicide investigations and providing advanced investigative training for detectives. ALL proceeds from this event directly support these ongoing efforts!

More details & tickets here:
https://thestate.org/events/2nd-annual-modesto-confidential-102026/

Thank you for helping to make a difference!

10/08/2026

TONIGHT! THU 10/8/26!
See you at the State!
The Ol'man Brothers Band hit the stage!

https://facebook.com/events/s/the-olman-brothers-band/1355481619795939/?

10/07/2026

🍬🎃🍫 WE'VE GOT THE TRICKS & THE TREATS!
MODESTO STATE THEATRE LIVE EVENTS, THIS OCTOBER!

🎶🎤 The Ol'man Brothers Band
Thursday Oct. 8, 2026 at 7PM

🔎🚓 2nd Annual Modesto Confidential
Saturday Oct. 17, 2026 at 1PM

🐰🕰️ Curiouser and Curiouser: A RemontantMade Group Art Show
Thursday Oct. 22, 2026 at 6PM

🥋😌 A Night of Music & Movement
Friday Oct. 23, 2026 at 7PM

🎸🎤 JW-Jones
Sunday Oct. 25, 2026 at 6PM

🌑🍸 After Dark at Intermission Modesto
Wednesday Oct. 28, 2026 at 6:30PM

🎶🎤 PrimeLive Presents: Elias Medina En Concierto
Thursday Oct. 29, 2026 at 8PM

🧛🏼‍♂️🩸 Bites, Booze & Bloodsuckers - A Lost Boys Party
Friday Oct. 30, 2026 at 6PM

Grab tickets now & don't miss out on the entertainment!
https://thestate.org/events/