ST. LOUIS — Are you ready for sweater weather, fallen leaves and all things pumpkin-flavored?
The fall season has officially started and there are several different ways to celebrate in the St. Louis area.
We've compiled a list of fall and Halloween events being held around the area this year. If you know of an event you'd like us to add to the list, send us an email.
Saint Louis Zoo
The Saint Louis Zoo is hosting a couple different events throughout October to celebrate the season.
Zootoberfest
The zoo is hosting Zootoberfest, a family-friendly take on Oktoberfest, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 2-3 and 9-10. At the event, guests can enjoy German-inspired food along with root beer and other soft drinks.
Canned and bottled beer will be available throughout the zoo. The zoo will also be offering an exclusive Zootoberfest beer stein with discounts for refills.
During the event, kids can participate in a free fall-themed activity.
Click here to make a reservation for the event.
Boo at the Zoo
Families can enjoy decorations, entertainers, special food and drink menus and more at Boo at the Zoo.
The event will be held from 5-8:30 p.m. every night from Oct. 15-31.
The event includes performances by Juggling Jeff, Oh My Gosh Josh and Enchanted Events character singalongs. Entertainment will vary nightly, according to a press release.
Guests must make a reservation in order to attend the event. Tickets range in price from $8.95 to 10.95 depending on the date.
Click here for more information or to make a reservation.
Halloweekends
Halloweekends will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 16-17, 23-24 and 30-31.
During Halloweekends families can enjoy Pumpkin Stomp ‘n’ Chomp enrichment for animals, non-scary Halloween decorations, fall-themed food and more. The zoo said this is not a trick-or-treating event.
For more information or to make a reservation for the event, click here.
Eckert's farms
Apple picking
Pick-your-own apple season is in full swing at Eckert's Belleville and Grafton farms.
Weekday field access costs $2 and it's $5 on the weekends. Children under 2 years old are free. Reserve tickets for pick-your-own apple season on Eckert's website.
Eckert’s is also offering a fall dating package at the Belleville farm for guests 21 years and older. “Orchard Date Night” features apple picking, a hard cider tasting and snacks to share with your date while enjoying live music. Two date nights are planned for Sept. 9 and 16. Tickets are $30 per person and include a tractor ride, two pounds of pick-your-own apples to take home, draft pumpkin beer, a flight of hard cider and a snack pack. Tickets and details about Orchard Date Night are available online here.
Eckert's is also hosting Apple Fest during weekends in September where guests can enjoy live entertainment, festival foods and children activities.
Pumpkin picking
Pick-your-own pumpkin season begins at Eckert’s on Saturday, Sept. 25 and runs throughout October.
Field access passes range from $2.20-5.50 at the Belleville and Grafton farms and admission tickets to the Millstadt farm range from $2.20-16.50 per person.
The Millstadt farm will launch its bonfire site rentals and haunted wagon rides on Friday, Sept. 24. Reservations are available each Friday and Saturday through Oct. 30.
Haunted wagon rides are first-come, first-serve with one free ride included with admission, according to a press release from Eckert’s. Bonfire site reservations are $75 for up to 25 people.
Click here to make a reservation.
“We work year-round to prepare for the fall season and to bring new and exciting activities to our guests each year," said Chris Eckert, president of Eckert’s Inc.
Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run will be held at the Belleville farm on Oct. 30. Sign up on Eckert's website.
Millstadt corn maze
The 12-acre corn maze at Eckert’s Millstadt farm will open for the season on Sept. 11.
Earlier this year, Eckert’s held a corn maze design competition where participants created a design to honor health care workers. The farm received more than 50 entries and recently announced the winner.
Ryleigh Thompson, a high school student in Illinois, won the competition with her hand-drawn design.
Eckert’s said it will donate $1 of each admission ticket sold in September to the Friends of Saint Louis Municipal School of Nursing Scholarship. Health care workers will also be able to visit for free on Sept. 17 and 18.
In addition to the corn maze, Eckert’s will have a petting zoo, mini golf, carnival rides, a pumpkin canyon and 70-foot slide.
Visit the Eckert's website for information on tickets and hours.
Grant's Farm
Two events are returning to Grant’s Farm this year: Fall Fest and the Halloween drive-thru. Both events kick off on Sept. 30.
Fall Fest will be held on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Guests will be able to enjoy fall-themed food and drinks and family-friendly activities, including:
- Fun Zone play area
- $8 per child under 14; free for adults
- Features a large corn sandbox, interactive games and farm equipment to explore
- Hayrides for $10, pony rides for $8 and a petting zoo
- Pumpkin and gourd decorating, after picking and purchasing from the pumpkin patch
The Halloween drive-thru will be held Thursdays through Sundays. Grant’s Farm said this event sold out last year when it was launched. Guests will need to make a reservation to attend.
Each car will receive a complimentary bag of candy and a scavenger hunt sheet. Grant’s Farm is offering two options for upgraded bundles:
Tricks n’ Treats package for $30:
- Six cans of Fanta
- Cinnamon sugar pretzel bites
- Two light-up toys
- Grant's Farm Halloween drive-thru window cling
Spooktacular package for $50:
- Same items that are in the Tricks n’ Treats package
- Pumpkin pie caramel bites by the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company
- A digital green screen photo of your family car
Visit Grant's Farm website for more information.
Marcoot Jersey Creamery
Marcoot Jersey Creamery in Greenville, Illinois, is hosting its Fall Fest on the Farm on Oct. 9.
The event will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and is free to the public.
At the event, guests can walk around the pasture to see the farm animals, play games and enjoy grilled cheese sandwiches and fried cheese curds for lunch.
Click here for more information on the event.
Magic House
The Magic House is inviting families to its Fall Farm Festival on Sept. 11.
The festival will be held from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and the cost is included with museum admission.
During the event, kids can meet with local farmers to learn about where food comes from, sit on a tractor and participate in agricultural activities. Guests can also see farm animals in the museum’s front play garden.
Apple Butter Festival
The small town of Kimmswick is hosting its annual Apple Butter Festival from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 30-31.
The Kimmswick Historical Society will gather the Friday before the festival to peel and prepare the apples.
“Early, before dawn, on each day of the festival, the wood burning fire is lighted, the kettle is filled with apples and cooking and stirring continues for seven to eight hours until the fragrant spread is thick enough to be sealed in jars.”
The festival includes a miniature train, petting zoo and pony rides. Apple butter is for sale each day of the festival or until the last jar is sold.
Visit Kimmswick's Apple Butter Festival website for more information.
Hidden Valley
Hidden Valley is hosting the Winter Kick-Off and Wildwood Business Association Food Truck Fest in October.
The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 23. It will feature live music, scenic chairlift rides and hiking trails.
The event is an expansion of the food truck fest hosted by WBA last fall, according to a press release from Hidden Valley.
“It is a pleasure to partner with WBA,” said Brandon Swartz, general manager of Hidden Valley. “To be able to use Hidden Valley as the new Fest site, and add Winter elements is exciting. It is the perfect way to celebrate Fall and get prepped for Winter.”
Click here for the more information on the event.
Haunted houses, escape rooms
If you’re more into the spooky side of the fall season, you’ll want to check this out!
The Darkness opens for the season on Sept. 24. The haunted house will be open from 7-10 p.m. on weekends through Oct. 17 and then every night from Oct. 21-31 and ending the season on the weekend of Nov. 5.
The Darkness is celebrating its 28th year with a renovation that has made the experience “longer and scarier” with 200 animated scenes, according to a press release. New scenes include a “killer” pumpkin barn, haunted conservatory, a horror arcade with pinball games, a five-minute escape room and more.
Other haunted attractions around the area – Lemp Brewery Haunted House and Creepyworld in Fenton – will open for the season the first weekend of October.
Click here to purchase tickets for The Darkness, Lemp Brewery Haunted House and Creepyworld.
Not far from The Darkness in Soulard you’ll find new Frankenstein and Dracula-themed escape rooms at St. Louis Escape.
St. Louis Escape now features six escape rooms, according to the release. In addition to Frankenstein and Dracula, groups can play The Haunted Hotel, The Cellar, The Wonderful World of Oz and Blackbeard’s Revenge.
A black light 1980’s-themed mini golf course and retro pinball arcade, Silly Putter, is also featured at St. Louis Escape.
To reserve a room, visit St. Louis Escape’s website.
St. Louis County parks
Several Halloween-themed events are happening at parks across St. Louis County throughout the month of October.
An Evening in the Cemetery will be held on Oct. 8 and 9 at Faust Park.
“Governor Frederick Bates has been at rest for 194 years, and he’s now rested well enough to visit with you at his gravesite. Join Frederick, his wife Nancy, other members of the family and a few more resident ghosts in the family cemetery,” St. Louis County Parks and Recreation said in a press release.
Click here or call 314-615-8328 to register.
A Halloween adult egg hunt will be held at Jefferson Barracks Park on Oct. 9.
The event will include a costume contest with prizes for the top three costumes. The prizes will be “geared toward the holiday” along with spooky decorations, parks officials said.
Click here to register.
A Halloween hayride will be held on Oct. 22 and 23 at Faust Park.
The hayride will be held after dark around the park. After the hayride, guests can wander through candlelit historic homes where stories will be told. There will also be a bonfire.
Click here or call 314-615-8328 to register.
Ghost Stories at JB will be held on Oct. 23 at Jefferson Barracks Park.
At the event, guests will hear spooky stories told by costumed storytellers above the bluffs of the Mississippi River.
“Candlelight and creaking floors in the buildings and wood fires and noises from the woods set the scene for this once-a-year exclusive,” the press release stated.
Click here or call 314-615-8800 to register.
Affton Trunk or Treat will be held on Oct. 24 at the Affton Community Center.
At the event, prizes will be handed out for the “spookiest decked out trunks.”
Call 314-615-8822 to reserve a spot for your car.
Jack O’Lantern Trail & Trunk or Treat will be held Oct. 29 in Faust Park.
“There is no fear of hiking for treats at night during the Halloween season when you are guided by the light and spirit of Jack O’Lanterns leading you to the reward of a trunk or treat,” the press release stated.
Costumes aren’t required but are welcome. Call 314-615- 8344 to register.
Pumpkin Carving in the Park will be held on Oct. 30 at Suson Park.
Click here for call 314-615-8472 to register for the event.
Haunted Shelter Extravaganza will be held on Oct. 30 at St. Vincent Park.
At the event, guests can enjoy candy, hot chocolate, s’mores and other treats. There will also be a trunk or treat and prizes for the best costumes.
Call 314-615-8788 for more information.
Halloween Boo-Nanza will be held Oct. 30 at North County Recreation Complex.
The family-friendly event includes hayrides, crafts, a bonfire and scavenger hunt.
Call 314-615-8840 for more information.
St. Charles
If you live in St. Charles, there are two events you may want to check out this year.
The first event is Autumn Harvest at Streets of St. Charles. At the event, guests can participate in pumpkin carving, fall drinks, live music and more.
The event will be held along Beale Street from 3-6 p.m. on Oct. 23. Click here to purchase tickets.
The second event happening this month is the Pumpkin Glow.
The Pumpkin Glow is set to take place along Main Street from 5-9 p.m. on Oct. 22 and 23.
The event will feature hundreds of glowing pumpkins created by the Merchants of Main Street, a group of small, locally owned businesses. During the event, shops along Main Street will be open late, and guests are encouraged to wear costumes.
This year, no candy will be handed out and guests should practice social distancing and wear a face covering when requested.
Click here for more details on the Pumpkin Glow.
St. Charles County
St. Charles County Parks and Recreation has several different spooky-themed events planned during the month of October.
The Jack-O-Glow Walk is being held from 5-9 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the St. Charles Heritage Museum.
At the event, guests can take part in a jack-o-lantern walk and pumpkin carving contest. It features 100 pumpkins carved by residents that will illuminate the outside of the museum and one mile of the paved Centennial Trail.
It’s $3 to carve a pumpkin and pre-registration is required. Click here or call to reserve a pumpkin.
Spirits of the Past will be held from 6-10 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the Historic Daniel Boone Home.
“Dark tales and superstitions of the 1800s are brought to life at The Historic Daniel Boone Home. Walk through lantern-lit paths in the historic park, listen to stories of the past, and, if you dare, hear the eerie Legend of Sleepy Hollow by renowned storyteller Anne Williams,” a news release stated.
Limited tickets are available between 6-9 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Guests will be assigned a time to tour the Boone home and each tour is limited to 15 people.
Click here or call 636-798-2005 to make a reservation.
Mini Monster Mash will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 22 at Kinetic Park.
Guests can join in the fun of a “not-so-spooky” Halloween party. Children ages 8 and under are invited to put on their favorite costumes to decorate mini pumpkins, play Halloween-themed games and roast s’mores. The kids will also receive a candy-filled goodie bag to take home.
The event is $5 per child. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Click here or call to 636-561-4964 register.
The Halloween Disc Golf Glow Tournament will be held from 7-11 p.m. on Oct. 22 at The Park at New Melle Lakes.
The 18-hole contest features baskets lined with glowsticks to mark the course, which offers a mix of short and long holes that travel in and out of the woods.
The event is limited to 72 players and costs $10 per person. Registration begins at 5:45 p.m. on the day of the event.
The Not-So-Spooky Kids Adventure will be held 3-4 p.m. on Oct. 29 at Towne Park.
The event features a “Spooktacular” story time and short hike in the park. Participants ages 4 and up are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite costumes.
The hour-long event is free and registration is not required.
Six Flags
“Chill by day, thrills at night.”
Fright Fest will be back at Six Flags St. Louis this year from Sept. 24-Oct. 31.
It features family-friendly shows and attractions during the day and "thrilling" rides and haunted houses at night.
Halloween Party in The Barrel Tomb
Cedar Lake Cellars in Wright City is hosting a Halloween-themed event on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 7-10 p.m. for people 21 or older.
"Join us on the night before Halloween for a haunted evening of music, dancing, wine and more!" a message from Cedar Lake Cellars said. "Treat yourself to your drink of choice from The Barrel Room’s full bar and delicious food from our Smokehouse or Burger Shack. Gather your friends and get ready to party Halloween-style with DJ Rob Cutler!"
There will also be a costume contest and a featured drink called the Black Widow Wine Slushy.
The event is free, but the organizers ask that you RSVP online here.
The Crossings Innerbelt’s Halloween Spooktacular 2021
The Crossings Church Innerbelt is holding a free, family-friendly Halloween event on Oct. 30.
The event is described as a safe, fun event full of memorable experiences for the whole family. There will be free food and candy, and children can interact with costumed characters. The event is scheduled to be outdoors at the church campus at 11050 N Warson Road from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The organizers do have a plan to bring the event indoors in the event of heavy rain or extremely low temperatures.
Costumes for children are recommended but not required. Masks are recommended for all guests but not required.
Click here for more information and to get tickets to the event to ensure you and your family a speedy entry into the event.
