2009 Guide to Halloween Events in the St. Louis Area

This Halloween season brings many exciting opportunities for the young and young-at-heart in the St. Louis area.

1. GO! St. Louis Halloween 10K & Fun Run

The first in a new annual event presented by Go! St. Louis, features both a competitive run and a 10K for casual runners who just want to have a good time. Halloween costumes are encouraged. This event takes place on October 18, 1008. You can register at the GO! St. Louis website.

2. Fright Fest at Six Flags

From Friday-Sunday on October 2-31, Six Flag transforms trades in its costumed Looney Toons for zombies prowling the theme park avenues. This annual event features a Haunted Hayride and Haunted Mansion, along with trick-or-treating and other kid-friendly activities. This year they are offering a special promotion: get free admission to Fright Fest when you buy a 2010 season pass.

3. Boo at the Zoo

On Saturday, October 24^th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, the St. Louis Zoo offers trick-or-treating and games for children, along with a costume parade along the specially-decorated Pumpkin Trail.

4. Ghouls in the Garden

On Sunday, October 25^th from 1 to 3 pm, The Missouri Botanical Garden invites children to come in their costumes and trick-or-treat in the gardens. This event is free for Garden members, but advanced registration is required. See the website for more details.

5. Halloween Spooktacular at the Great Godfrey Maze

For those who haven't heard of the Great Godfrey Maze, it consist of two separate trails that wind and twist through a seven-acre field of corn. From October 9-30, one trail will be turned into a haunted trail starting at nightfall and continuing until 10 pm.

6. Halloween: Spirits of the Past

Every year the historic Daniel Boon Home (once home to Daniel and his son Nathan) hosts a Halloween celebration. This year on October 24^th from 6:30 pm- 9:30 pm, families can listen to storytellers throughout Boonesfield Village tell tales of ghosts and unexplained mysteries by the light of lanterns and bonfires.

7. Special Events at Eckert's Orchard: Haunted Hayrides and Jumpin' Pumpkin Jamboree

Haunted Hayrides: Eckert Orchard's Millstadt location will offer haunted hayrides every Friday and Saturday night after dark throughout October.

Jumpin' Pumpkin Jamboree: Whether you're looking for a small pumpkin to adorn a windowsill or a 150+ pound monstrosity, you can find your Halloween jack-o-lantern at Eckert's pumpkin patch. Additionally, you can find music, pony and wagon rides, funnel cakes, a petting zoo, and even the opportunity to make your very own scarecrow each Saturday and Sunday throughout October.

8. Special Events at The Magic House: Pumpkin Carving and The Ninth Annual Not-So-Haunted House

Pumpkin Carving: On October 3^rd from 10:00 - 5:00 and October 4^th from 4:00 - 11:30, you can learn pumkin carving from an honest-to-goodness professional pumpkin carver. Craig Sanders, a sculpter who studied at the Kansas City Art Institute, will be holding workshops in which he will carve an ornate design, and participants will then have the opportunity to carve their own pumpkin.

The Ninth Annual Not-So-Haunted House: On the weekends of October 23-25 and October 30-November 1, The Magic House will be holding its annual Halloween celebration. Children can trick-or-treat and collect autographs from costumed storybook characters, with representatives from Peter Pan, the Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, and more. There is also a Haunted Trail for older children.