THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Cloudy, hi 48, lo 36

Saturday: Amazingly sunny, hi 48, lo 43

Sunday: Back to rain, hi 45, lo 36

>>> FRIDAY, DEC. 16:Handel's Messiah

You can hate on the holidays all you want, but there's no denying they bring a wealth of artful yearly traditions. Tacoma Symphony Chorus' take on "Messiah" in St. Charles Borromeo Church fits this bill. As pre-event hype acknowledges, "Chorus Director Geoffrey Boers always brings a fresh take to Handel's beloved work," and there's no reason to expect this year to be any different. Four vocal soloists - soprano Denise Lees, mezzo-soprano Melissa Plagemann, tenor James Brown and Benjamin Harris - will join Tacoma Symphony Chorus and Orchestra, creating an event that's almost to put the whole family in the spirit.

• St. Charles Borromeo Church, 7:30 p.m., $25, 7112 S, 12th St., Tacoma, 253.591.2013

>>> SATURDAY, DEC. 17: BRYAN BOWERS

According to Wikipedia, "There is debate over the origin of the auto-harp. A German immigrant in Philadelphia by the name of Charles F. Zimmermann was awarded US 257808 in 1882 for a design for a musical instrument that included mechanisms for muting certain strings during play. He named his invention the ‘autoharp.' .... Karl August Gütter of Markneukirchen, Germany, built a model that he called a "Volkszither," which most resembles the autoharp played today. Gütter obtained a British patent for his instrument circa 1883-1884. Zimmermann, after returning from a visit to Germany, began production of the Gütter design in 1885 but with his own design patent number and catchy name. Gütter's instrument design became very popular, and Zimmermann has often been mistaken as the inventor." Now, will you need to know any of this to appreciate autoharp master Bryan Bowers Saturday at the Tacoma Public Library, when he busts out a free holiday concert sure to delight the masses (or handfuls)? Of course not. But it won't hurt. And it just might make Bowers' mastery of the autoharp all the more impressive, as the singer songwriter is often credited as having redefined the instrument.

• Tacoma Public Library - Main Library - Olympic Room, 2 p.m., free, 1102 Tacoma Ave., South, Tacoma, tacomapubliclibrary.org

>>> SATURDAY, DEC.17: TACOMA MUSICIANS & FRIENDS NETWORKING PARTY

Networking is important. These days, you can't really get anywhere without rubbing a few elbows and kissing a few babies. The powers behind the Northwest Convergence Zone podcast and NWCZ Radio know this - and in an attempt to lift our entire scene up created the annual Tacoma Musicians and Friends Networking Party. This is your chance to meet the folks who make our local music landscape tick, and maybe even drink some rum or chow down on a burger or pizza. It's all part of your climb to the top. Musical entertainment will be provided by a bevy of awesome talent.

• Stonegate Pizza, with the Solvents, Eastern Sunz, In Cahoots, Afraid of Figs, Fox and the Law, 7 p.m., $5, 5421 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.473.2255

>>> SUNDAY, DEC.17: 2011 POKEMON CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS

You're either old or you play Pokémon. Deal with it. Or drive the point home this Sunday at The Game Matrix on South Tacoma Way when Lakewood's installment of the 2011 Pokémon City Championships goes down - starting at 11 a.m. According to promotional hype, this officially sanctioned event is free to play and intended for Pokémon players of all ages and skill levels (Note: Anyone born after 1996 *gulp* qualifies for the "Masters Division). "Players will compete in exciting one-on-one battles as they vie for the prestigious title of Pokémon City Champions," according to the release. "Players at this weekend's Play! Pokémon City Championships will also be playing for Championship Points, which are awarded to top finishers at al Pokémon Championship Series events. Championship Points are a new addition t the Play! Pokémon season, giving Pokémon TCG players more chances to reach their ultimate goal - earning an invitation to the Pokémon World Championship in Hawaii next August." Did you even realize there was a Pokémon World Championship, Oldie McOlderson? Of course not. Now you do.

• The Game Matrix, 11 a.m., free, all ages, 8610 South Tacoma Way, Lakewood, 253.583.9708

>>> SUNDAY (and Tuesday): MIRACLE ON 34th STREET

You have the tree picked out, every box of yard decorations categorized, and the yuletide music at full blast. Now all you need are some choice movies to fully embrace the reason for the season. At this time of year, more than any other (with Halloween as a possible exception), we use films as a way of connecting to that elusive holiday spirit. And The Grand Cinema in Tacoma continues this tradition this week with multiples screenings of the 1947 holiday classic, Miracle on 34^th Street. If this film doesn't get you in the holiday spirit we don't know what will.

• The Grand Cinema, 2:05 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, 2:05 and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, 606 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253.572.6062

>>> SUNDAY: BROTHERHOOD ANNIVERSARY PARTY

What's better than celebrating the birthday of a good friend? What about celebrating the birthday of a good friend that consistently provides you with drinks and a place to play shuffleboard? OK, OK ... what if we throw in some aerialists from Tallhouse Arts Consortium, free pizza and "lots of love," according to an esteemed member of the BroHo's staff (who may or may not be Nikki Talotta)? If you astutely observed that absolutely nothing is better than the aforementioned scenario you're a lot smarter than your parents give you credit for. And you can experience it this weekend. Help the BroHo celebrate its anniversary in style this Sunday.

• The Brotherhood, with DJ James, 8 p.m., free, 119 Capitol Way North, Olympia, 360.352.4153

>>> WHAT SOME OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE UP TO

NIKKI TALOTTA Features Writer
Oh Weekend Hustle, what can I say? There will be a whole lotta Talotta this weekend - it's the family X-mas party! That means a ton of food, fighting over gifts, and cruel comments disguised as jokes. Plus six boys under the age of ten running around, causing havoc. Once the eggnog kicks in, everything should be just fine - hugs will abound and there may even be singing. Wish me luck.

JOE IZENMAN: Theater Critic
Moving moving moving. We've leveled up our dwelling from apartment to house. It cost us our prime spot a block from the beloved Parkway Tavern, but in exchange we get walking distance to The Red Hot, The Mandolin Cafe, and Los Tres Hermanos. And no upstairs neighbors. I'll take it.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Meat Market Photographer
I'll be kicking it at the Tacoma Youth Chorus concert at PLU on Saturday and chilling it pre-school style with the boy offspring on Sunday.

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CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL Theater Critic
This will be our final, sold out weekend of A Christmas Story for Olympia Family Theater, so I'll be playing The Old Man five more times. Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra!

STEPH DEROSA Person, Place or Thing & 3 Drink Minimum Writer
This Friday I'm headed to The Big D.  I'll be full of fried okra and Lone Star beer before you can even think of jumping into your Prius and heading out to pick up your Tofurky. I'm going to be happily eating tons of dead animals, waving at cute cowboys in their huge gas-guzzling trucks, and spending copious amounts of money on materialistic things that I will refuse to donate to any humanitarian cause.  I'll get pedicures, go zip-lining and drive an enormous SUV across the state and on down to Houston to see of my more friends who will insist we eat more dead animals, fried okra and drink even more Lone Star beer.

JENNIFER JOHNSON Food & Lifestyles Writer
Friday night seeing Lance Buller at Maxwell’s. Saturday hot yoga in the AM followed by lunch with Jazzbones’ original owner to talk about the Spring opening of his new place in Bonney Lake/Sumner then ice skating at Tollefson and Holiday Lights. Sunday I’m going to church and relaxing with friends.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound