OUTDOORS WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL. Tohono Chul Park celebrates its 11th annual Picnic in the Park and Wildflower Festival from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 14, at 7366 N. Paseo del Norte. This year's event features music throughout the park, a progressive meal and activities for the whole family, including Native American storytelling, wildflower pressing demonstrations, a container garden contest and silent auction. Tickets are $40 adults, $15 children 12 and under, available at the park or by calling 742-6455 or 297-4999. Proceeds benefit park programs. A BETTER DOWNTOWN. The City of Tucson and Arts District Partnership seeks public input on how to make the downtown environment more friendly for pedestrians. The public may stop by from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., April 15 through 19, and from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Studio 220/Stodska Design, 220 E. Congress. Call 791-4372 for information. 791-2639 (TDD). DIG IT. Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, a non-profit agency, offers public archaeological field school sessions at Sabino Canyon Ruin, home of Hohokam Indians 700-900 years ago. The program features instruction in archaeological excavation techniques, artifact recovery and care, and interpreting ancient cultures. Lunch is provided. Cost is $69 per 8-hour day with discounts offered to groups and multiple day sign-ups. Reservations required 2 days in advance. Call 798-1201 for reservations and information. ORIENTEERING. The Tucson Orienteering Club meets the third Sunday of the month at various locations. The next meet is April 20 and 21 at Slavin Gulch in the Dragoon Mountains. Bring a compass and whistle. Cost is $7 per team, $5 individual. Call Mike Huckaby at 324-0209 for directions and information, or e-mail <jimstemm@aztec.asu.edu> GILDED WINGS. Richard Bailowitz presents Gilded Wings: The Butterflies of Southeastern Arizona, a layman's guide to identifying the wide variety of butterflies, at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 11, in the Wilson Room at Tohono Chul Park, 7366 N. Paseo del Norte. Cost is $2, free to park members. Reservations required. Call 742-6455 for information. BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY WALKS. Join Southwest Center for Biological Diversity naturalists for walks through Tucson's nearby riparian treasures. Experts answer questions on ecology, birds, plants, herbs and fish. The effects of different land management policies on riparian resources is also discussed. All walks are free, and meet at 9 a.m. on the first and second Sunday of each month. The next walk is Sunday, April 14. Call 733-1391 for locations and information. ARCHAEOLOGY TOURS. The Center for Desert Archaeology offers half-day and full-day tours of the Romero Ruin in Catalina State Park and rock art tours of sites near Tucson. Contact Connie Allen-Bacon at 881-2244 for more information on tours. Individual, group and corporate rates are available. SAN PEDRO HIKES. Hikes along the river continue throughout the spring. Hikes range from five to seven miles and range from moderately difficult to strenuous. Bring a minimum of one quart of water per person, wear proper hiking shoes and dress appropriately. Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and snacks are important. Not appropriate for small children. Pets prohibited. Pre-registration is required. Cost is $7.50 per hike. Call (520) 458-3559 for registration and information. TOHONO CHUL PARK. 7366 N. Paseo del Norte. 742-6455. Tohono Chul Park grounds are open from 7 a.m. to sunset daily. Exhibit hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $2. The park presents "Wildflower Tours" at 10 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. "Walk in the Park Tours" meet at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday. "Birds of Tohono Chul Tours" depart at 8 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Tours last about one hour. "Art in the Park Tours," a docent-guided look at gallery exhibits, are offered at 11 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 2 p.m. Sunday. A Xeriscape landscape tour is given at 11 a.m. April 20. The Tohono Chul Tea Room serves twilight dinners from 5 to 8 p.m. beginning April 15. Call 797-1711 for dinner reservations. Call 742-6455 for reservations and information. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. 2021 N. Kinney Road. 883-2702. The museum is part botanical garden, part geology museum and part zoological park. Naturalistic settings house 1,386 plant species and 317 animal species. Live animal visits, botanical and raptor interpretations are given daily. During the month of April live animal interpretations start daily at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. A wildflower demonstration table is open daily from 1 to 3 p.m. Raptor Interpretations are held daily at 10:30 a m. Museum hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Saturday. Admission is $8.95 ages 13 and over, and $1.75 ages 6 through 12. Discount group rates are available.

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