To do List:
Modesto View Magazine Top 10 events happening this weekend: 1) Food4Music dual shows at Queen Bean tonight (Thursday),2) the English Beat and 3) The Ill List Poetry Slam Saturday night. Do not miss these.

The first thing on your to do list needs to be Vote by mail. Do it now. Thursday night has important things to do. There is a candlelight vigil to remember the victims of drunk drivers in 10 th St. Plaza beginning after dark. The Food4Music is your next stop. Local bands and Queen Bean have stepped up to collect food for the needy. 2 simultaneous shows, one hosted by Sapo Sueno and friends at the Downtown Modesto QB and the other hosted by local and now nationally famous Megan Slankard and friends at the Riverbank QB. Bring food - get music. Such a deal.

We are now officially in Hanukah season and there will be a latkes and Vodka event at Congregation Beth Shalom on Saturday at 7. There are only two more Farmer's Markets this year, this weekend and next. Make sure that you get the cranberry / orange Autumn Harvest gigantic bread loaf from Word of Mouth. You can do most all of your holiday shopping at the Farmers Market.

Saturday night, do not miss the Poetry Slam Ill List at the State Saturday. If you have not experienced the verbal combat of a poetry slam, you are missing out. For those of you aren't into that, you can rip it up Sat night to the SKA beat of the English Beat at Hero's. This will be a flat out bust it loose show. I double dog dare you not to dance….At the Gallo Center , Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz band is on the big stage and there will be an after party jam session at Claytons directly behind the Gallo Center .

But first, you need to get through Friday night and that means that you need to see Jazz pianist David Benoit at the State Theatre featuring a tribute to Charlie Brown Christmas. This is something fun and recognizable for the whole family. For adults, there will be a GoGo Dancing competition at the Fat Cat Friday night. Big fun. Saturday night, Filthy Gorgeous presents the Winterfresh party at the Fat Cat. The out of control fun show will be at the Battered Beaver in Oakdale featuring MAMA Winning Moonshine Bandits and Los Hermanos Mueratos Friday night.

On Stage this weekend, you can find the Christmas Story presented by Riverbank Arts at Eustache Middle School . The Trojan Women are on stage at CSU Stanislaus. Babes in Toyland will be on Stage at the State Theatre Sunday and the “you are supposed to think” Someone to Watch Over Me continues at the Prospect Theatre. Durang-Durang is on stage at MJC West Campus Theatre. At the Gallo Center , film and stage actor Joe Bologna is on stage in “If You Leave, Take Me With You”. Cool to have all of this happening.

Specially for kids: the Annual Modesto Symphony Breakfast with Santa is at the Gallo Admin Building Sat morning, there are two sessions. Who can pass up Oooey and Gooey Christmas candy and frosting house making party at the Scout Hall in Riverbank? Better go.

Some Other Holiday events you need to know about:
Sites and sounds of Christmas in downtown Newman through the 8th
Downtown Turlock Lights parade Dec 7
Come Celebrate Christmas at Big Valley Christian Dec 6-9
Hospice tree lighting at Memorial Hospital on Dec 7 at 6 pm
MJC Organ Recital Dec 7 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church
La Loma neighborhood Holiday Faire Dec 8

These are just a few of the events that you need to know about here in Modesto . There are many more that need to see by clicking this link www.modestoview.com/todo ModestoView is your hook up to the good things happening in our area. If you know of another event, please tell us about it so we can get it on our calendar. Our hotline email is events@modestoview.com