The balloon is kind of deflated folks. How’s that? We have returned from our 2 week excursion through Indiana and the Outer Banks. Sure, daily activities will keep us busy but nothing to the extent of 5,000 miles on the road through 12 different states.

We’ll share our experiences with family and friends while trying not to overwhelm them with stories and photos.
Maybe you all have multiple trips planned on your itinerary of life, but we are usually gone for a couple of weeks in the fall, and then we try to get a break from winter in February or March. Do we have a lot of bucket list events to still check off in our lives. Of course. Will they all get done in the next 12 months, probably not. But how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, right? How do you make plans for the next 3 months, October-December? Yep, let’s start to re-inflate the balloon, one breath at a time.

First, let’s talk about Norsk Hostfest. It’s only a couple of days away! It’s not too late to mark one, or maybe two days on your calendar for the Largest Scandinavian Celebration in the United States. Checking this morning there are still tickets left to all of the shows. The Great Hall has superb entertainment. Military Appreciation Day is Saturday, September 28th. Kids get in free, always! But what a perfect day to pack up your family and enjoy Norsk Hostfest. The Norsk Hostfest website has a full schedule of shows and events. (hostfest.com).

While you have your calendar out, let’s mark October 25th & 26th as the Y’s Men’s Professional Bull Rider event takes over the Minot Auditorium. Running April through late October, the King of the North Showdown series will conclude right here in Minot. Pro Bull Riding is a great family event. Tickets are on sale today on minotpbr.com. Just a heads up, one night may not be enough. Watch the Northern Sentry social media channels for upcoming ticket give aways.

I just noticed that there is a very large X on my calendar on October 6th. That is the first concert of the season for the Brass Band of Minot. The Brass Band of Minot is the only British Style Brass Band in North Dakota. Details? 4 PM, Ann Nichole Nelson hall on the campus of Minot State University. Admission is free.

My friends at the Minot Symphony Orchestra are proud to announce their Stranger in Paradise concert on October 26th. Feel the rhythm and romance with an evening of unforgettable musical brilliance and timeless compositions. Donations will be collected for an area food drive.

MSO Featured soloist for the Stranger in Paradise Concert: Oda Voltersvik, piano
Featured film scores: Brief Encounter, 2001 Space Odyssey, and Stranger in Paradise.
And then comes Halloween, but we’ll wait and give you all of the events going on for Halloween in, and around, Minot.
Of course, I will have missed a few events, but that brings me to my next topic, the Northern Sentry. We try to keep our online calendar and the What’s Going On calendar (on the last page of the Northern Sentry) up to date. By going online, you can enter events yourself for your non-profit group, and it’s absolutely free.

And if you send us details in press release form, we’ll try and publish your event in the Northern Sentry and online at northernsentry.com. Send your events to sentrysales@srt.com.

A Big Thank You!!!
The Northern Sentry is part of the Downtown Business and Professional Association, and we just held our Downtown Fall Festival last Saturday. Thank you to all who attended, and to Colonel’s Lamarand and Schlabach for their support of this event. It is our way of introducing military families to the downtown area. A special thanks to the Magic City Lions who sponsored our all new Kids Zone. It was a great success, and guess what? It will be bigger and better next year.
We had our friends from the Dakota Cruisers Car club join us. It was their 30th Anniversary of the club. We also had the Ward County Historical Society, the Minot Shrine Club…and well the list goes on and on. From Our Side- we hope you all had a great time!

Best Kept Secrets
I just got a note from the Minot Curling Club. We’re only a few short months from laying down the ice at the club and starting the curling leagues. Look around at those folks who work with you in your office. Which of them would enjoy curling? They all would. There is a Minot AFB league, and you can learn as you go. Watch the Northern Sentry for more information.

Today’s Chuckle
In Norsk Hostfest Tradition…Sven and Ole were carpentering on a new house. Sven who was nailing down siding would reach into his nail pouch, pull out a nail and either toss it over his shoulder or nail it in.
Ole, figuring this was worth looking into, asked,
“Why are you trowing dose nails avay?”
Sven explained, “If I pull a nail out of my pouch and it’s pointed TOWARD me, I trow it avay ‘cause it’s defective.
If it’s pointed toward da HOUSE, den I nail it in!”
Ole got completely upset and yelled, “You MORON!!!
Da nails pointed toward you aren’t defective!
Dare for da OTHER side of da house!!”