WORTH NOOTING ON TV

* SATURDAY

A Gala for the President at Ford's Theatre (ABC, 10-11 p.m.): Brett Butler of ''Grace Under Fire'' hosts this gala benefit for Ford's Theatre, with President and Mrs. Clinton as honored guests. The theater was closed for 103 years following President Lincoln's assassination. Reopened in 1968 as a memorial to Lincoln's love of the performing arts, it has hosted each president at the gala since Gerald Ford.

Performers at this year's event include comedians Jeff Foxworthy and Paula Poundstone, country star Shania Twain, and the Temptations. Dennis Franz of ''NYPD Blue'' reads from one of Abraham Lincoln's speeches in an annual tribute to America's 16th president.

* SUNDAY

The Song Spinner (Showtime, 6-7:35 p.m.): Adapted from Pauline Le Bel's book of the same title, this latest ''Showtime Original Pictures for Kids'' is a fantasy-adventure that all family members can enjoy. It takes place in Shandrilan, a kingdom faraway north where ''silence is golden'' - and loud sounds are strictly prohibited by the Noise Police. But there's hope for the return of beautiful melodies and colorful sounds: A mysterious, singing woman named Zantalalia (played by Patti LuPone who appeared in ''Life Goes On'') visits the town and befriends one of its youngest inhabitants, Aurora (Meredith Henderson). Together they must bring back joyful sounds for the winter ''Sunwatch'' festival, or the sun will never shine in Shandrilan again.

World of Audubon (TBS, 10-11 p.m.): The Florida Everglades have topped environmental concerns for years. This edition of the documentary series, entitled ''Sugar Scandal,'' pinpoints some of these concerns by exploring south Florida's sugar-cane farming and agricultural and industrial development. The program discusses several solutions to the environmental problems, including a system of channels that would bring more fresh, clean water to the region.

Please check local listings for these programs.