Chestnuts roast on an open fire. Jack Frost nibbles on your nose. This is the atmosphere that the Florida Orchestra, Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and Lumina Youth Choirs seek in their performances Classic ChristmasFriday at Ferguson Hall (Straz Center) and again Saturday at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg (8 p.m. both days). It’s an old-fashioned orchestral Christmas concert.

Given that TFO’s music director, Michael Francis, is an English native, it’s a good bet that he was instrumental in putting together a program that includes Britain’s 16^Th Century “Coventry Carol”, the 19th century^Th Centennial piece “Once in Royal David’s City” and “A Ceremony of Carols”, recorded and arranged by the legendary English composer/conductor Benjamin Brittan.

It works like that which separates Classic Christmas from the orchestra Holiday Pops concerts later this month. Also on the program this weekend are John Rutter’s rich arrangements of “O Come All Ye Faithful” and other Prokofiev’s wonderfully wintry arrangements Lieutenant Kijé SuiteExcerpts from Tchaikovsky’s work nutcracker and more. This is just part of the program, which also includes the audience singing along.

No frosty snowman or red-nosed reindeer nearby. Tickets and the full program can be found here.

Matthew Abernathy, artistic director of the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, is our guest on Friday Art is alive! Podcast.

Holiday guitars

Nate Najar’s Jazz Vacation is back on the Palladium Theater’s Hough Hall stage tonight for its 18th^Th year in a row. The jazz guitar virtuoso from St. Petersburg is joined by the always powerful rhythm section of drummer Jean Bolduc and bassist Joe Porter, singer Daniela Soledade, guitarist Carl Admundson as well as Bruce Harris (trumpet) and Jeff Rupert (saxophone). As always, there are rumors about special guests. Information and tickets can be found here.

Tonight at the Safety Harbor Art & Music Center Acoustic Christmas show by the two great blues guitarists Selwyn Birchwood and Damon Fowler from Tampa Bay – together and alone. All details and tickets can be found here.

More holiday events

Friday at Baycare Sound (which is the large amphitheater in downtown Clearwater): A free event featuring a Holiday sing-along with the Ruth Eckerd Hall Chorus, beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by a big screen screening of the film The Polar Expresswith an animated Tom Hanks. Details can be found here.

Countries Kathy Mattea and her band are at the Capitol Theater on Saturday A winter meeting, with songs from their holiday albums and more. Tickets.

It is a Big Band Christmas Concert on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Central Park Performing Arts Center in Largo. Tickets are available here.

The St. Petersburg Coliseum will host the third annual event Holiday Cosplay Tampa Bay Saturday and Sunday; It’s a fun festival for fans of comics, anime, science fiction and fantasy, horror and other pop culture genres. Guest cosplayers invite visitors to participate in competitions, workshops and other experiences. Find out everything about the event and find tickets here.

On Sunday at the Tampa Theater (3 p.m.): The Vienna Light Orchestrawith musicians and singers from seven different countries performing Christmas music. Tickets can be found here.

The powerful lights and lasers, the rock ‘n’ roll sound and the furious sideshow known as Trans-Siberian Orchestra is on Sunday at the Amalie Arena with the third and final show of their “Christmas trilogy,” subtitled “The Lost Christmas Eve.” Performances are at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Information and tickets can be found here.

Holiday theater productions include the one-man film Wonderful life (with Gavin Hawk) at American Stage, Tampa Rep’s It’s a Wonderful Life – A live radio play at the Straz Center Shimberg Playhouse and The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical at Stageworks.

These shows are full of ho-ho-ho moments, but aren’t exactly what you’d call a Christmas play: Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure (ending its final weekend at the freeFall Theater) and the musical’s national Broadway tour Some like it hot (with several performances today through Sunday).

Sunday: 1980s pop sensation Debbie Gibson is coming to the Capitol Theater with her for the whole vacation Wintery show. As she describes it: “Winterlicious is a traditional song and dance spectacle with tap shoes, boys in tuxedos and tails, me in playful holiday dresses and onesies.” It is a festive celebration of all holidays for all denominations because inclusivity is at the heart of everything I do! “Tickets.

All for laughs

Since TV Seinfeld ended in 1999 (to live on in constant reruns and streaming), Jerry Seinfeld was on the road – quite successful, one might add. Yes, he did Comedians in cars drinking coffee (on Netflix), but standup is pretty much what he does now. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Seinfeld visits Ruth Eckerd Hall on Friday and Saturday. At press time, Friday was sold out and Saturday was close.

Comedian, author and actor Martin Lawrence takes the stage Sunday at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center. Like Seinfeld, Lawrence starred in a hit self-titled sitcom (Martin1992-97). Tickets are available here.

As we told you in this Wednesday story, comedy is not for children Who is on vacation? opens tonight at the 42-seat Off-Central Theater in St. Pete. Tickets are available here.

Speaking of adult material, the sketch comedy kings and queens of St. Pete are back on their home turf (The Studio @620) with performances from Dirty John’s XXX-Mas spectacle tonight through Saturday. All show times and tickets can be found here.

Even more concerts

Tonight: The Country Band Old Dominion performs at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center. Tickets.

Tonight in Ruth Eckerd Hall: scenes from the film Avatar: The Last Airbender with music performed by a live orchestra. Tickets.

Singer/songwriter Henry Paul is at the Capitol Theater tonight and Friday with the contemporary version of Outlawsthe Tampa band that he joined in 1971 and which had some pretty big hits at the time (“There Goes Another Love Song,” “Hurry Sundown”). John (Eddie and the Cruisers) Cafferty and his Beaver Brown Band are opening this year^Th annual Green Grass and Yuletide Jam. Tickets.

Bret Michaels is back in the Bay Area on Saturday as your host for “Parti-Gras 2.0” at Baycare Sound; The marquee also includes Night Ranger and Dee Snider from Twisted Sister. Tickets.

Just around the corner

Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening will take place on Monday, December 16th at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center.

Kenny G is Tuesday, December 17th at Baycare Sound.

Cheap trick plays Tuesday, December 17th at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center.

Patti LaBelle sings on Wednesday, December 18, at the Mahaffey Theater.

Your Weekend Spotlight appears every Thursday in The CREATE section of Catalyst.

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