THURSDAY 3/30

SEATTLE AQUARIUM SOCIETY -- It seems Seattle has lately been going through a Le Corbusier-like identity shift, with its most notable victims being the Kingdome, the library, and now possibly the aquarium. We all know that progress makes perfect, so if your vision of a perfect Seattle includes a more education- and community-oriented aquarium, vocalize your sentiment at this public hearing. Seattle Municipal Building, 11th Floor, 600 Fourth Ave, 5:30 pm.

GEORGE MITCHELL, MINDY CAMERON -- Former Maine senator Mitchell and Seattle Times Editor Cameron discuss the North Ireland peace talks that culminated with the Peace Accord of 1998, of which Mitchell was the main orchestrator. North Ireland, second perhaps only to Israel in the magnitude of its age-old ethnic and religious conflicts, provides the perfect foil for a discussion of making peace from conflict, mistrust, and anger. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave. Free tickets available at University Book Store.

FRIDAY 3/31

WOODLAND PARK ZOO -- Here is your opportunity to pester zoo staff all day long as they perform such feats as elephant bathing (10 am), Humboldt penguin feeding (11 am), and death-defying ocelot feeding (11:30 am). Stick around for the lecture on the flora and fauna of the Pribilof Islands (the Bering Sea equivalent of the Galapagos Islands) at 7:30 pm. Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave N, $9 zoo admission, $6 lecture.

SATURDAY 4/1

DISASTER SATURDAY -- Not far beneath Seattle's idyllic and picturesque facade lies the potential for major disaster, as anyone who was around here in 1980 can attest to. At this community forum, attendees can learn how to "use a fire extinguisher in a real fire emergency," how to avoid potential electrical hazards in an emergency situation, and how to stop, drop, and roll. Asa Mercer Middle School, 1600 Columbia Way S, 8:30 am, free.

SEMA CEREMONY -- Sufism is one of the world's more esoteric spiritual disciplines, but the Sema ceremony incorporates its two most popular elements -- the mystical poetry of Rumi and the spiritual dance of Whirling Dervishes. Over 30 Whirling Dervishes and musicians from all over the United States will converge on Seattle for this Sufi celebratory evening of music, poetry, and dance. SCCC Student Activity Center, 1718 Broadway, $15 donation.