THURSDAY, NOV. 8, 2012 >>>

1. Normally, when you go to an art party you can expect certain things: wine (or punch, whatever), cheese (or grapes, or both), people in turtlenecks (with extremely long or extremely short hair) and art (which you may or may not understand).  Obviously you enjoy these things or else you wouldn't be going to art parties. But surely you enjoy other things art-related too - like meeting new people who enjoy art. Say, the people that actually create the art. Wallah! Point reached. King's Books will host a special Game Night to celebrate the release of Tacoma Makes' Tacoma Playing Cards, a unique deck designed by Tacoma artist Chandler O'Leary featuring 14 artists' illustrated interpretations of 54 Tacoma locations, stories and icons. From Go Fish to Poker, every game is Tacoman with these unique cards featuring the artwork of Art Chantry, Audra Laymon, Brian Hutcheson, Britton Sukys, Chandler O'Leary, Chris Sharp, Elise Richman, Jessica Spring, Kristin Giordano, Lance Kagey, Meghan Mitchell, Otto Youngers, RR Anderson, and Shaun Peterson. 7 p.m., no cover, prizes, 218 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma

2. Writers strung up on walls? Not quite. Mixing art exhibit and poetry reading, Tacoma Community College presents "Celebrating Art and Writing" at its library. TCC faculty Allen Braden, Rob Larson and Richard Wakefield will read their words while the crowd strolls nine new works of art from the Washington Arts Commission's "Re-String Project," the work of local sculptor and fabric artist Lynn Di Nino and local photographer Chris Berryman. 1:30-3 p.m., free, TCC Library, 6501 S. 19th St., Bldg. 7, Tacoma

3. Let's all think about snow sports and drink beer together tonight at the Harmon Brewery & Eatery's annual "Pray For Snow Party." And as sure as it will snow in them hills, the Harmon will dole out begins gear and lift ticket giveaways and raffle prizes, snow sports movies and, of course, the human jukebox Steve Stefanowicz who has performed at this party for as long as we can remember. Proceeds from the raffle benefit the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts. 5 p.m., no cover, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

4. Timothy Egan's book Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis tells the remarkable untold story of Curtis who, at the age of 32, gave up the life he knew in 1900 and document the stories and rituals of more than 80 Native American tribes before they disappeared. It's a truly amazing story, and Egan will recount it tonight in the Olympic Room. 7 p.m., free, Tacoma Public Library Main Branch, 1102 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma

5. This year's final Conversations Re: Tacoma lecture explores citizen engagement in the process of planning neighborhoods. Leading the a dialogue about how citizens can effectively contribute to the design of neighborhoods, how city staff and elected officials can be more responsive to community interests and how existing planning processes can be improved will be Donald Erickson, AICP, chair, Tacoma Planning Commission?; Randy Cook, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, principal, TCF Architecture?; Justin Leighton, chair, Tacoma's Central Neighborhood Council; Moderator Ian Munce, acting division manager, Long-Range Planning, city of Tacoma. The meeting ($7.50-$10) begins at 6:30 p.m. inside the Tacoma School of the Arts Theatre, followed by booze at the Varsity Grill.

LINK: Thursday, Nov. 8 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area