Best Festival (Specific City)
Live Oak Music Festival (SLO)
El Chorro Regional Park, Highway 1 at Dairy Creek Road
(805) 781-3030
@liveoakfest
facebook.com/liveoakmusicfestival
Best Photographer
Amber Lynn Photography
(805) 710-6776
amberlynnphotography@gmail.com
@amber_lynn
facebook.com/AmberLynnnPhotography
Best Visual Artist
Colleen Gnos
141 Suburban Road, No. C4, SLO
(805) 441-8277
@gnosart
Best Art Gallery (TIE)
Studios on the Park
1130 Pine St., Paso Robles
(805) 238-9800
@studiospr
Hands Gallery
777 Higuera St., SLO
(805) 543-1921
@handsgalleryslo
Best Tattoo Artist
Adam Sweet, Sink or Swim Tattoo
951 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach
(805) 481-9400
@adamsweettattoo
facebook.com/pages/Sink-or-Swim/154999947845136
Best Movie Theater
The Palm Theatre
817 Palm St., SLO
(805) 541-5161
@palmtheatre
facebook.com/ThePalmTheatre/?rf=1413260802299962
Best Movie Theater
The Palm Theatre
Once while waiting for a movie to start at The Palm, an older gentleman sat in the seat directly next to mine, despite the fact that the rest of the theater was nearly entirely empty. I thought he might be waiting for and leaving room for a group of friends but no one else ever showed. He stayed next to me throughout the film. Several other times I’ve been to The Palm, audience members have burst out in applause at the end of the movies. These are the kinds of experiences you can’t get anywhere else. Oh, also, The Palm’s popcorn is the best I’ve ever had, and it’s dirt-cheap. Enough said.
—Kasey Bubnash
Best Theater Group
SLO Repertory Theatre
888 Morro St., SLO
(805) 786-2440
@sloreptheatre
Best Dance Company
CORE Dance
882 Ricardo Court, SLO
(805) 541-2669
@coredance.slo
Best Local Entertainer
Matt Cross
(805) 704-8695
@Mattcrossmusic
Best Live Music Venue
Vina Robles Amphitheatre
3800 Mill Road, Paso Robles
(805) 286-3680
@vinaroblesamp
facebook.com/vinaroblesamphitheatre
Best Film Festival
SLO International Film Festival
SLO
(805) 546-3456
@slofilmfest
Best Community Event (Specific City)
Concerts in the Plaza (SLO)
Mission Plaza, SLO
(805) 541-0286
@concertsintheplaza
facebook.com/ConcertsinthePlaza
Best Place to Catch a Band
The Siren
900 Main St., Morro Bay
(805) 225-1312
@thesirenmorrobay
Best Place for Karaoke
Bill’s Place
112 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande
(805) 489-9989
Best Local Band
Bear Market Riot
@bearmarketriot
Best Place to Dance
The Graduate
990 Industrial Way, SLO
(805) 541-0969
@thegraduate
Best Bookstore
Phoenix Books
986 Monterey St., SLO
(805) 543-3591
@phoenixbooksslo
facebook.com/pages/Phoenix-Books/121050681242482
Best Place to Buy Music
Boo Boo Records
978 Monterey St., SLO
(805) 541-0657
@booboorecords
Best Place to Buy a Musical Instrument
Central Coast Music
365 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay
(805) 772-4930
@centralcoastmusic
facebook.com/centralcoastmusicmorrobay
Best Public Art
R.A.C.E. Matters SLO
@racemattersslo
facebook.com/R.A.C.E.MattersSLO
Torch Bearer
Best Public Art: Belonging, R.A.C.E. Matters SLO
Belonging: Local expressions of Black Empowerment and Possibility was a month-long event series with the goal of giving a voice to members of the San Luis Obispo County community who are of African American descent. Local organization R.A.C.E. Matters SLO curated events and public art displays from February to April 2020 to tell stories and experiences about living in a predominately Caucasian, rural area. The events included an exhibit of community member portraits, live storytelling, family music events, a black business forum, and a documentary profiling business owner Terry Guilford. The free events and displays were open to the public.
—Karen Garcia
Best DJ
DJ Josh Payne
859 Marsh St., SLO
(805) 748-4722
facebook.com/Wedded-Bliss-Entertainment-147214008670181
This article appears in Best of SLO County 2020.