The Vintage & Handmade Market International Orchid Fair: A single orchid is up there on the list of "most beautiful things in the world." But thousand of orchids--different species and hybrids--side-by-side against the backdrop of the visually stunning Quail Botanical Gardens--well, that could very well be at the top of the list. Oct. 5 through 7 at 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. $10. www.qbgardens.org or 760-436-3036.
Cirque-Work's Birdhouse Factory: Picture a version of Cirque du Soleil that's a little less serious and a lot more fun and you're halfway to imagining Cirque-Work. Combining various circus acts--jugglers, unicyclists and contortionists, just to name a few--with a tango up and down a vertical pole, the group brings San Diego its latest performance splashed with a bit of tomfoolery and fun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Oct. 7 at California Center for the Arts--Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd. $10-$35. 760-839-4138 or www.artcenter.org.
The Pink Floyd LaserSpectacular: Relive those long nights spent listening--perhaps hallucinating--to Pink Floyd and take in Lyric Opera San Diego's presentation of the cult classic, LaserSpectacular. It's a journey, man, a total trip. 8 p.m. Oct. 12 at Birch North Park Theatre, 2891 University Ave. $30 and up. www.birchnorthparktheatre.net or 619-239-8836.
Live Paper Theater: Teeny Tiny Pit Orchestra maestro Scott Paulson presents a live performance starring paper-doll actors, set in a beautifully constructed scale-model paper theater. It's small, but nothing short of amazing. 10:30 a.m. Oct. 13 at the San Diego Museum of Art, Balboa Park, 619-696-1969.
Locust + Mockumentary: Hmm. Where to start? Perhaps with the BMX bikes? Nope, we should start with the zombies. Mockumentary features zombies, dance, video, music and dirt bikes all together in a fake-documentary-type performance piece--kinda like This is Spinal Tap but with less heavy-metal and more dancing. Locust rounds out the double bill with their "avant-garde garage band" music. Oct. 19 through 21 at Studio Theatre, SDSU. Pay what you can. www.sushiart.org or 619-235-8466.
Polar-Palooza: Climatologists from both the North and South poles meet in San Diego for three days of events, including a multimedia look at the latest climate-change research, combined with compelling stories about the people and wildlife of the poles. Learn what 10,000-year-old ice cores can tell us about our past, present and future. Pretty cool. Oct. 19 and 21 at various San Diego venues. www.rhfleet.org or 619-238-1233.
The Tiger Lillies--The Misery Guts Tour: Some call it accordion-driven anarchy; others call it deranged gypsy-style cabaret. Three-piece band The Tiger Lillies puts on a show you won't soon forget. 8 p.m. Nov. 2 at the San Diego Women's Club, 2557 Third Ave., Downtown. $20. www.sushiart.org or 619-235-8466.
Ecstasy of Whirling Dervishes: Whirling and whirling and whirling around, mixed with chanting of poetry and set to mystic music from the Dervishes' native Turkey, creates a highly intoxicating spectacle that will leave you feeling ecstatic, perhaps a bit dizzy but happy nonetheless. 8 p.m. Nov. 16 at Mandeville Auditorium, UCSD, La Jolla. $34-$38. www.artpower.ucsd.edu or 858-534-TIXS.
