THE ILL LIST 20: A 20TH ANNIVERSARY POETRY SLAM INVITATIONAL

The most anticipated and prestigious poetry slam in the country returns for a monumental 20th anniversary celebration! For two decades, The ILL LIST has set the standard for performance poetry—bringing together the most powerful voices, sharpest minds, and some of the fiercest performers in the world. This milestone event will honor that legacy by welcoming back 8 of the top performers over the last 20 years of ILL LIST champions—returning to the stage that helped define a generation of spoken word excellence.

By invitation only, The ILL LIST features a world-class lineup of renowned spoken word artists and national and international slam champions, many of whom have appeared on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, Verses & Flow, NPR’s Snap Judgment, Button Poetry, and other major platforms. Through three exhilarating rounds of original poetry, these literary heavyweights will go head-to-head—matching metaphor for metaphor, line for line—in pursuit of $1,500 in cash prizes and the honor of being crowned the ILL LIST XX Champion.

Randomly selected judges from the audience will award points based on the strength of the poets’ words and the brilliance of their performance. Audience participation is everything—your laughter, applause, and energy fuel this unforgettable night.

The ILL LIST has sold out every year, and this year’s 20th Anniversary promises to be bigger, louder, and more electrifying than ever. Come celebrate two decades of spoken word legacy in this world-class literary boxing match. Presented by The Modesto View & Sierra Pacific Warehouse Group

This is a Free Speech event.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. | Show begins at 7:30 p.m.