Things to Do in North Branch

Discover your inner Davy Crockett with today's Groupon. For $5, you get admission to the 40th Annual Minnesota Sportsmen's Show any day from Wednesday, January 13, through Friday, January 15, at the Saint Paul River Centre. Gawk at great outdoorsy goods (RVs, motor homes, travel trailers, fishing boats), attend free fishing and hunting seminars, plan your next excursion, and witness a water-skiing squirrel purchasing a motor home.

Call the ticket office to reserve seats. You may then pick up your tickets at the box office during business hours or the Will Call area on the night of the performance.

Roller derby combines the breakneck pace of NASCAR, the technical virtuosity of figure skating, and the hard-hitting action of badminton into a supersport smoothie. Your tickets get you in to see the Banger Sisters, Delta Delta Di, Kilmore Girls, and the Violent Femmes compete for first place, bragging rights, and bruises that most resemble Abraham Lincoln. Established in 2006, the North Star Roller Girls have steadily grown in popularity, becoming part of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association in 2008. Today, North Star’s travel team, the Supernovas, periodically compete for a coveted national rankings spot. Teams are propelled by traditional quad roller skates, mounds of spunk, and intimidating monikers such as “Ida Kildher” and “Maggie McFaceStomp” as they propel their point-scoring teammates past opponents.

While memberships must be activated by May 16, membership benefits last for one full year from activation.

Held aloft by 35 years of family tradition, Stillwater Balloon sends intrepid explorers skyward from a port just off the scenic St. Croix River. Friendly FAA-certified pilots operate each craft and readily answer any questions that passengers may have as they float through gorgeous views of the surrounding valley. The billowy, multicolored behemoths cruise at treetop level, allowing travelers to shake hands with monkeys. Private and semiprivate flights are the business's forte, but Stillwater Balloon also accommodates custom flights for backyard surprises or ultimate school pickups.

Located in the Dayton’s Bluff area, historic Mounds Theatre is a great spot to experience live theatre, movies, and occasional paranormal encounters. Knotareel Getaway Cruise is an interactive dinner-theater production written by Greg Eiden that features musical comedy and a gaggle of mimicking pirate parrots all named Polly. You’ll ward off scurvy thanks to the show’s dinner menu, which offers roasted chicken with herb vinaigrette, fettuccine or linguine (tossed with olive oil, fresh basil, and garlic), vegetable medley, field green salad, and chef’s choice dessert. You’ll also be supporting a good cause since the theater is home to the Portage for Youth, a nonprofit organization serving disadvantaged youth that collaborates with arts and cultural groups.