Worth the drive 11/13/08

Less than 2 hours away

Scottrade Center, St. Louis

The general excitement from the 2008 Summer Olympics may have subsided, but get ready to relive the experience when the 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars comes to the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Olympic medalists Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, the Hamm brothers, Blaine Wilson and others will perform to music from Disney recording artist Jordan Pruitt. Showtime is 3 p.m. Saturday. Doors open at 2. Tickets are $79, $49.50, $39.50 and $29.50 and available at the Scottrade Center box office, all Ticketmaster ticketcenters, by phone at 314-421-4400 or 618-222-2900, or online at ticketmaster.com.

Southern Illinois University Student Center Auditorium, Carbondale, Ill.

To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, WSIU Public Television, the public broadcasting division of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, will host a special storytelling by Robert Lewis. Lewis is the lead village interpreter for the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah, Okla. The Hall of Fame at the south end of the Student Center will have the traveling museum exhibit "Mapping the Trail of Tears Through Southern Illinois," to show the Cherokee trail through the region during the Trail of Tears walk. The exhibit opens at noon and storytelling starts at 7 p.m. Monday. Both events are free.

Less than 5 hours away

Branson, Mo.

The Baldknobbers are in Branson to make the holidays hilarious with "Deck the Halls," the comedy show with Stub Meadows and Hargus Marcel. Droopy Drawers Jr., joins the fun for Christmas at Branson's first show. The show features country classics and new country hits, then the stage changes for the real family Christmas special and the real laughs. Showtime is 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday, now through Dec. 13. For tickets, call 417-334-4528 or 800-998-8908 or visit www.baldknobbers.com.