Cheap Thrills

SWEET PILGRIMS: Take an intercultural junket with La Jornada Encantada, or The Enchanted Journey, presented by the Tucson Community Children's Theatre.

Adapted and directed by David Felix, this city Parks and Recreation production follows the adventures of an immortal Juan Carlos, in what's described as a "whimsical combination of Hispanic and Yaqui folktales."

Performances are 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, October 21 through 24, in the Randolph Arts Center Auditorium, 200 S. Alvernon Way. Admission is free. Call 791-4663 for details.

FURRY FRIGHT: Revel in "wickedly wild fun" when the Reid Park Zoo hosts the third annual Howl-o-ween.

While no animals will be on display for this family-event, there will be plenty of unleashed fun, including costumed characters, trick-or-treating, and lots of frightening decorations. For the brave at heart, haunted caves will bring what's promised as "a new level of terror to the Zoo...not recommended for those with weak hearts or knees." To put tots at ease, scary and fun areas will be separated, providing the whole family with one great big party.

Howl-o-ween runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, October 22 and 23, in the Reid Park Zoo, on 22nd Street east of Country Club Road. Admission is $3, $2 for zoo members. Call 791-3204 for details.

ODD REDUX: They've reportedly undergone reconstructive surgery and random sex changes. But hey, it's all in a day's work for the feisty, gender-gerrymandered comedy troupe Oddvarks.

You may remember them from last season's gala of gut-busters. Now the odd ones return for another funky romp through improv's stranger climes, armed with "all-new, whacked-out sketches!"

Join the Oddvarks at 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 22 in the Plaza Pub, 20 E. Pennington St. The performance continues at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 23, in The Double Zero, 121 E. Congress St. Admission is $3. For information, call the Plaza Pub at 882-0400, or The Double Zero at 886-0289.

HOT LOVE: If you dig the immortal capsicum the way we do, you'll love the Tucson Botanical Gardens' 13th annual Fiesta de los Chiles.

This celebration of the humble pepper will feature international chile-related chow, live music, Native American storytelling, arts and crafts, and enough of the little spicy ones to keep your innards screaming for eons. There will even be a free "Chile Train" departing regularly from the southeast corner of El Con Mall's parking lot.

La Fiesta de los Chiles runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, October 23 and 24, in the TBG, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. Advance tickets are $5, $1 for children ages 5 to 11, free for children under age 5, and available at El Saguarito, Macayo del Este, Macayo del Norte, El Parador, and at the gardens. Tickets at the door are $6, $3 for TBG members. Call 326-9255 for details.