Best Of SLO 2019
Best of 2019: House of Arts Scene
Best Festival (Specific City)
The Village, Arroyo Grande
May 25-26, 2019
The Strawberry Festival in Arroyo Grande Village has been a staple event on the Central Coast since 1983—before this newspaper began publishing! On Memorial Day weekend, thousands bring their families to enjoy fresh, locally grown strawberries offered in every conceivable form—shortcakes, pancakes, milkshakes, chocolate-dipped, you name it—and for the 5K and 10K walk/run, live music and entertainment, kids' carnival, booths, arts and crafts, and more. Sunset magazine once called the Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival "the place to be on Memorial Weekend." And admission is free!
—Peter Johnson
arroyograndevillage.org/strawberryfestival
Best Photographer
(805) 704-3996
@brittanyapp
Best Visual Artist
141 Suburban Road, #C4, SLO
(805) 441-8277
It's nearly impossible to not be aware of Shell Beach fine artist, muralist, and sculptor Colleen Gnos. Her colorful and dynamic images are everywhere from Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards wine labels to the Avila Beach lifeguard towers. Mermaids painted on surfboards are a common theme as well as hyper-colorful paintings of musicians in action. Gnos is also an upright bassist. In fact, her self-portrait with her bass graced the March 2018 cover of Bass World magazine. She's won this award before—last year and in 2016. One of her paintings became the poster for the 2016 Live Oak Music Festival. Basically, she's a badass.
—Glen Starkey
@gnosart
Best Art Gallery
777 Higuera St., SLO
M-W, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Th.-Sat., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
(805) 543-1921
@handsgalleryslo
Best Tattoo Artist
791 Dolliver St., Pismo Beach
M-Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
(805) 295-6419
inkdynastytattoo.com/keith-duggan
@keithduggantattoo
facebook.com/KeithDugganInkDynastyTattoo
Best Movie Theatre
817 Palm St., SLO
(805) 541-5161
Best Theatre Group
888 Morro St., SLO
(805) 786-2440
@sloreptheatre
Best Dance Company
882 Ricardo Court, SLO
(805) 541-2669
@coredance.slo
Best Local Entertainer
(805) 704-8695
Best Live Music Venue
3800 Mill Road, Paso Robles
Th.-Sat, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
(805) 286-3680
@vinaroblesamp
facebook.com/vinaroblesamphitheatre
Best Film Festival
SLO
March 12-17, 2019
(805) 546-3456
Best Community Event (Specific City)
SLO
Th., 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
(805) 541-0286
downtownslo.com/farmers-market
@downtownslofarmersmarket
facebook.com/ExperienceDowntownSLO
Best Place to Catch a Band
900 Main St., Morro Bay
M-Sat., 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Sun., 9 a.m.-2 a.m.
(805) 225-1312
@thesirenmorrobay
Best Place for Karaoke
112 E Branch St., Arroyo Grande
Sun.-T, 9 a.m.-midnight; W-Sat., 9 a.m.-2 a.m.
(805) 489-9989
Best Local Band
@bearmarketriot
Best Place to Dance
990 Industrial Way, SLO
Sun.-T, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; W-Sat., 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
(805) 541-0969
@thegraduate
Best Bookstore
986 Monterey St., SLO
Sun., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; M-W, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Th.-Sat., 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
(805) 543-3591
facebook.com/pages/Phoenix-Books/121050681242482
Best Place to Buy Music
978 Monterey St., SLO
M-W, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Th.-Sat., 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
(805) 541-0657
@booboorecords
Best Place to Buy a Musical Instrument
365 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay
T-F, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
(805) 772-4930
facebook.com/centralcoastmusicmorrobay
Best Public Art
Best DJ
1335 Walker St., SLO
(805) 801-7959
As a child, Malik Miko Thorne used to hold a portable tape recorder to the TV speaker to make mixed tapes of songs from Solid Gold, American Bandstand, and Soul Train. Is it any wonder he became a DJ? While attending Cal Poly, he started working at the college radio station KCPR 91.3 FM. Then he got a job at Boo Boo Records. Then he started DJing shows on local NPR affiliate KCBX 90.1 FM. Then he started DJing house parties and weddings and nightclubs. Then he started the SLO Record Swap with fellow DJ and Traffic Records owner Manuel Barba. DJ Malik currently owns and operates A Satellite of Love—a used, vintage, and consignment retail store at 1335 Walker St. in SLO, which hosts periodic live music concerts. Got an event you need DJed? Hit him up! He's the man!
—Glen Starkey
theweddingstandard.com/blog/malik-miko-thorne/
@djmalikmiko
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1010 Marsh Street • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
PHONE/805/546-8208 • FAX/805/546-8641
