Best of Sacramento 2014: Arts & Entertainment

Best live music venue

1. Ace of Spades

1417 R Street, (916) 930-0220, www.aceofspadessac.com

2. Harlow's

2708 J Street, (916) 441-4693, www.harlows.com

3. Blue Lamp

1400 Alhambra Boulevard, (916) 455-3400, www.bluelampsacramento.com

Best all-ages music venue

1. Ace of Spades

1417 R Street, (916) 930-0220, www.aceofspadessac.com

2. Witch Room

1815 19th Street, (916) 508-0213, www.witchroomsac.com

3. The Boardwalk

9426 Greenback Lane in Orangevale, (916) 988-9247, www.boardwalkrocks.com

Best author of fiction

1. Christian Kiefer

2. Jodi Angel

www.jodiangel.com

3. Mary Volmer

www.maryvolmer.com

Best big screen

1. Crest Theatre

1013 K Street, (916) 442-5189, www.thecrest.com

2. Esquire IMAX Theatre

1211 K Street, (916) 443-4629, www.imax.com/oo/esquire-imax

3. Tower Theatre

2508 Land Park Drive, (916) 442-0985, www.readingcinemasus.com

Best casino/cardroom

1. Thunder Valley Casino Resort

1200 Athens Avenue in Lincoln, (916) 408-7777, www.thundervalleyresort.com

2. Red Hawk Casino

Red Hawk Parkway in Placerville, (530) 677-7000, www.redhawkcasino.com

3. Cache Creek Casino Resort

14455 Highway 16 in Brooks, (530) 796-3118, www.cachecreek.com

3. Capitol Casino

411 N 16th Street, (916) 446-0700, www.capitol-casino.com

Best comedy experience

1. Punch Line Comedy Club

2100 Arden Way, (916) 925-5500, www.punchlinesac.com

2. Sacramento Comedy Spot

1050 20th Street, Suite 130; (916) 444-3137; www.saccomedyspot.com

3. Laughs Unlimited

1207 Front Street, (916) 446-8128, www.laughsunlimited.com

Best community-theater group

1. Big Idea Theatre

1616 Del Paso Boulevard, (916) 960-3036, www.bigideatheatre.com

2. Celebration Arts

4469 D Street, (916) 455-2787, www.celebrationarts.net

3. Fair Oaks Theatre Festival

7991 California Avenue in Fair Oaks, (916) 966-3683, www.fairoakstheatrefestival.com

Best dance spot

1. Faces

2000 K Street, (916) 448-7798, www.faces.net

2. Badlands

2003 K Street, (916) 448-8790, www.sacbadlands.com

3. The Press Club

2030 P Street, (916) 444-7914, www.facebook.com/thepressclub

Best festival

1. Sacramento Beer Week

www.sacramentobeerweek.com

2. Chalk It Up

www.chalkitup.org

3. Launch/TBD Fest

www.tbdfest.com

Best film festival

1. Sacramento Film & Music Festival

www.sacfilm.com

2. Trash Film Orgy

www.trashfilmorgy.com

3. Sacramento French Film Festival

www.sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org

Best gay club

1. Faces

2000 K Street, (916) 448-7798, www.faces.net

2. Badlands

2003 K Street, (916) 448-8790, www.sacbadlands.com

3. The Mercantile Saloon

1928 L Street, (916) 447-0792

Best karaoke

1. River City Saloon

916 Second Street, (916) 443-6852, www.therivercitysaloon.com

2. Pine Cove Tavern

509 29th Street, (916) 446-3624, www.pinecovetavern.com

3. The Distillery

2107 L Street, (916) 443-8815

Best local actor

1. Ryan Snyder

2. Matt K. Miller

3. Shannon Mahoney

3. Jonathan Rhys Williams

Best open-mic night

1. Luna's Café & Juice Bar

1414 16th Street, (916) 441-3931, www.lunascafe.com

2. Shine

1400 E Street, (916) 551-1400, www.shinesac.com

3. Fox & Goose

1001 R Street, (916) 443-8825, www.foxandgoose.com

Best place to hear poetry

1. Poetry Unplugged at Luna's Café & Juice Bar

1414 16th Street, (916) 441-3931, www.lunascafe.com

2. Sacramento Poetry Center

1719 25th Street, (916) 240-1897, www.sacramentopoetry center.com

3. Red Alice's Poetry Emporium

at Shine, 1400 E Street

Best place to knock down pins

1. Capitol Bowl

900 W. Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento, (916) 371-4200, www.capbowl.com

2. Country Club Lanes

2600 Watt Avenue, (916) 483-5105, www.countryclublanes.com

3. AMF Land Park Lanes

5850 Freeport Boulevard, (916) 421-3671, www.amf.com/landparklanes

Best place to see art

1. Crocker Art Museum

216 O Street, (916) 808-7000, https://crockerartmuseum.org

2. Verge Center for the Arts

625 S Street, (916) 448-2985, www.vergeart.com

3. Sol Collective

2574 21st Street, (916) 476-3628, www.facebook.com/artcultureactivism

Best place to stock your bookshelves

1. Beers Books

915 S Street, (916) 442-9475, www.beersbooks.com

2. Time Tested Books

1114 21st Street, (916) 447-5696, www.timetestedbooks.net

3. The Avid Reader at the Tower

1600 Broadway, (916) 441-4400, http://avidreadertower.com

Best reading or lecture series

1. Sacramento's Living Library, Time Tested Books

1114 21st Street, (916) 447-5696, www.timetestedbooks.net

2. Stories on Stage, Sacramento Poetry Center

www.storiesonstagesacramento.wordpress.com

3. CRC Literary Series, Cosumnes River College

www.crc.losrios.edu

Best professional theater company

1. B Street Theatre

2711 B Street, (916) 443-5300, www.bstreettheatre.org

2. California Musical Theatre

1419 H Street, (916) 557-1999, www.california musicaltheatre.com

3. Capital Stage

2215 J Street, (916) 995-5464, www.capstage.org

Best spot for pool

1. Blue Cue

1004 28th Street, (916) 441-6810, www.bluecue.com

2. Corner Pocket Sports Bar

7777 Sunrise Boulevard in Citrus Heights, (916) 722-2582, www.thecornerpocket sportsbar.com

3. R15

1431 R Street, (916) 930-9191, www.paragarys.com

Best trivia night

1. Blue Lamp

1400 Alhambra Boulevard, (916) 455-3400, www.bluelampsacramento.com

2. de Vere's Irish Pub

1521 L Street, (916) 231-9947, www.deverespub.com

3. The Depot Video Bar

2001 K Street, (916) 441-6823, www.facebook.com/thedepotsac

Best visual artist

1. Susan Silvester

www.susansilvester.com

2. Micah Crandall-Bear

www.micahcrandallbear.com

3. Amanda Cook