SLaM on RyE: Modesto's Monthly Poetry Slam --SEPT 30

From 2002 to 2012, Slam on Rye was the beating heart of Modesto’s spoken word scene: the city’s first and only poetry slam, the spark that ignited The ILL LIST Poetry Slam, and the foundation for what would become the Modesto Artists Movement. Now, over a decade later, this iconic slam is back—bigger, bolder, and louder than ever. Hosted by The Saint, ILL LIST Poetry Slam Champion, and co-hosted by founder Sam Pierstorff, Slam on Rye brings you an unforgettable night of live performance, raw truth, and community connection. What to Expect: 🎤 Open Slam: Up to 12 poets compete live, following official slam rules: 3 minutes per poem, plus a 10-second grace period.🎤 Judging: Randomly selected audience members score performances Olympic-style (0–10).🎤 Two Rounds, Big Prizes: The top 5 poets advance to Round 2. Combined scores determine winners: • 🥇 1st Place: $200 • 🥈 2nd Place: $50 🎤 Featured Poet: Each slam showcases a renowned slam poet delivering an electrifying feature set. AUGUST'S FEATURED POET: DONNY JACKSON A poetry community veteran, Donny Jackson also holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, and is a director and Emmy-winning documentary television producer. In the poetry world, Donny is a Haymarket Books 2026 Writing Freedom Fellow. As a spoken word artist, Donny has featured at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Café, and venues in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, L.A., Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Toronto. His debut poetry book, boy, was published in February 2020, and his most recent, toward the sun: love haiku, February 2024. Donny's spoken word albums include boy, girl, an act of war on my belief in death, he / him, and the latest—inspired by his dad—fatherly. Join us at SLAM ON RYE! This isn’t just a poetry event. It's a poetry party! It’s a gathering of voices, a celebration of creativity, and a powerful reminder of the impact poetry has in building empathy, connection, and community.