Grab a Red Carpet-tini and watch the Oscars at Modesto’s State Theatre

Modesto’s State Theatre again puts the big screen on its big screen as it hosts a live viewing of Sunday’s 89th Academy Awards ceremony.

A special dinner also will be served as the historic downtown theater holds its annual Red Carpet Party with a simulcast from Los Angeles of Hollywood’s biggest night.

To add to the atmosphere, guests are encouraged to don their best Tinseltown attire; Sue Richardson, the State Theatre’s executive director, said people “really do dress up, big time,” for the event each year.

And the red carpet isn’t in name only, guests will walk the theater’s red carpet where this year they can have their photos taken by a tuxedo-clad Bill Wood. Photo ops are free and will be up on the theater’s Facebook page after the event.

Dinner for the Red Carpet Party will be prepared by Concetta’s Paul Tremayne with several “signature dishes,” Richardson said, including his cheese ravioli, deviled eggs, meatballs and Spanish torta along with chicken skewers, salads and more.

The State’s bar will be open, with beer, wine and cocktails available for purchase, including this year’s Red Carpet-tini, a combination of Champagne, pomegranate liqueur and Fireball whiskey. In addition, the theater will roll out its new espresso drink, “a State creation that should be nominated for best coffee drink – ever,” Richardson said.

It’s a fitting venue to view the Oscars – many of the movies nominated in major categories have played at the art-house film venue this year, including “Moonlight,” “Fences,” “Hell or High Water,” “Lion,” “Manchester By the Sea,” “Jackie,” “Elle,” “Loving,” “Florence Foster Jenkins” and “Captain Fantastic,” as well as best foreign language film nominees “Toni Erdmann” and “A Man Called Ove.”

While some of the films also opened at the region’s cineplexes, some were only available to Modesto area audiences at the State.

While viewing the Oscars telecast is free, the dinner party package is $20.

This story was originally published February 24, 2017 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Grab a Red Carpet-tini and watch the Oscars at Modesto’s State Theatre."