TODAY’S CALENDAR: OUT AND ABOUT IN ORANGE COUNTY

EVENTS

The Pirates Festival--a celebration of Argentine pirate Hippolyte Bouchard’s 1818 raid on Mission San Juan Capistrano, including historical reenactments and displays, food, live music and other seafaring entertainment--is at the mission, 31522 Camino Capistrano. 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. $4-$5. (949) 248-2048.

The Southern California Philosophy Conference, a day of panel discussions and other activities designed to bring philosophy out of the academy and into people’s lives, is at the UC Irvine Student Center, West Peltason Drive and Pereira Road. 2 p.m. Free. (949) 824-7364.

SPORTS

UC Irvine’s men’s water polo team hosts UCLA in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game at UCI, 903 W. Peltason, Irvine. Noon. $4. (949) 824-6202.

Chapman University’s football team, which held off Menlo, 44-33, last week to improve its record to 3-3, hosts Whittier in a nonconference game on campus, 333 N. Glassell St., Orange. 7 p.m. $5. (714) 997-6691.

MUSIC

The National Symphony’s presentations of “Poetry of Earth” and “Oedipus Rex” conclude at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 8 p.m. $15-$55. (949) 553-2422.

The UC Irvine Chamber Orchestra plays Bach’s “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 3; Concerto for Piano, No. 1, BWV 1052; Concerto for Violin and Oboe, BWV 1060; and Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1069, at the UC Irvine Concert Hall, West Peltason Drive and Mesa Road. 8 p.m. $6-$10. (949) 824-2787.

JAZZ & BLUES

The Max Bishop Big Band and Senior Class Big Band play at the Festival of Arts grounds, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Noon-6 p.m. $2-$7. (949) 376-6061.

Raging Sun plays Alcatraz Brewing Co., at the Block in Orange. 9 p.m. Free. (714) 939-8686.

The Billie Mitchell Quartet plays at Spaghettini, 3005 Old Ranch Parkway, Seal Beach. 8 p.m. Free. (562) 596-2199.

DANCE

Ballet Pacifica’s programs of “Moonlight” and “White Light” by Raymond Van Mason, “Blackberry Winter” by Ann Marie DeAngelo, “Myth” by Peter Pucci and “Valse Fantaisie” by Balanchine conclude at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive. 2:30 and 8 p.m. $15-$19. (949) 854-4646.

COMEDY

Carlos Alazraqui, the voice you know as the talking chihuahua for Taco Bell, performs with Anthony Griffith at the Irvine Improv, 4255 Campus Drive. 8 and 10:30 p.m. $12. (949) 854-5455.

POP & ROCK

Christian pop bands, Switchfoot, Insyderz and Plumb play at the X-treme Alternative Halloween party at the Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Ave. 6 p.m. Free. (714) 999-8950.

Pet Shop Boys, Doc Martin, Christian B and Rafael M play at Irvine Meadows, 8808 Irvine Center Drive. 8 p.m. $20-$42. (714) 740-2000-Ticketmaster.

John Waite & the Exiles, Lisbeth Scott, and Hayesland play at the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 8 p.m. $25-$27. (949) 496-8930.

COUNTRY & FOLK

Gary Lambert & Friends play at the Guitar Shoppe, 1027 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 7:30 p.m. $8-$12. Presented by the Assn. of Fingerstyle Guitarists. (949) 497-2904.

THEATER

“The Piano Lesson,” August Wilson’s Pulitzer-winning drama about a brother and sister who claim moral ownership of a priceless family heirloom. South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 2:30 and 8 p.m.; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. $28-$47. (714) 708-5555.

“Grotowski at Irvine--and Beyond,” a symposium and performance event celebrating the life and impact of the renowned drama theorist and playwright Jerzy Grotowski, is at the UC Irvine Concert Hall, West Peltason Drive and Mesa Road. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. A New World Performance Lab production of Grotowski’s play “Woyzeck” is at 8 p.m. in the Humanities Hall Little Theatre. $6-$10. (949) 824-2787.

“Equus,” Peter Shaffer’s tale of a psychiatrist who investigates the savage blinding of six horses by a 17-year-old stableboy. Studio Theatre, Chapman University, 333 N. Glassell St., Orange. 8 p.m. Also 4 p.m. Sunday. $6-$8. (714) 997-6812.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Shakespeare’s classic comedy mixing gods and tree spirits with the romantic affairs of mortals. Vanguard University Lyceum Theater, 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. 2 and 8 p.m. also 2 p.m. Sunday. $10. (714) 668-6145.

“Nunsense,” Dan Goggin’s comedy about a group of nuns who mount a revue to raise money for funerals for their colleagues, who died of food poisoning. Main Street Players at the First Presbyterian Church, Santa Ana Boulevard and Sycamore Avenue, Santa Ana. 8 p.m. Also 2 p.m. Sunday. Ends Sunday. $5-$12. (714) 547-1872).

“Sylvia,” A.R. Gurney’s comedy about a man who ruffles his wife’s feathers when he adopts a lovable stray dog. The Theatre District, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 8 p.m. Also 7 p.m. Sunday. $15-$20. (714) 435-4043).

RECREATION

A guided spider nature hike takes place at San Clemente State Beach Park, 225 Avenida Calafia. 10 a.m.-noon. Free. $6 to park. (949) 366-8594.

A guided tour of the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge starts at the Naval Weapons Station, 800 Seal Beach Blvd. 9 a.m. Free. (562) 626-7215.

Volunteers are needed to aid in trail maintenance at the Rancho Mission Viejo Land Conservancy, off Ortega Highway five miles east of San Juan Capistrano. 8:30-11 a.m. The Conservancy also offers a guided nature walk from 3-5:30 p.m. $2-$5. (949) 489-9778.

If you have an event you would like included here, send information at least 10 days in advance to Ken Williams, Orange County Calendar, Los Angeles Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Fax: (714) 966-7790.