Trick or treat! Our top picks for the month of October will have you screaming for more!
WHAT: Lemp Brewery Haunted House
WHEN: 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.; Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (through Oct. 20), nightly (Oct. 25 to Nov. 2)
WHERE: 3500 Lemp Ave. (intersection of Cherokee Street and Lemp Avenue)
Fifty feet beneath the abandoned Lemp Brewery in south St. Louis lie the legendary limestone caves, once used for beer lagering and gatherings by the famed pre-Prohibition brewer. Considered one of the most famous haunted places in America, the Lemp Brewery has been transformed into the “House of Occult,” all-new for 2019.
State-of-the-art animations, frightening sets, sound and special effects will have guests coming face-to-face with demons and other creatures of the night throughout the 20,000-square-feet pitch-black cavern. $25; scarefest.fearticket.com
WHAT: BOOterfly House
WHEN: Various times; Tuesday through Sunday throughout October
WHERE: Butterfly House
All month long, see the Butterfly House’s transformation into the BOOterfly House, where bugs, butterflies and plants are “wonderfully wicked.” The BOOterfly House also features daily story time with the Muffet family every morning (10:30 a.m.), as well as live predator feedings in the Creepy Crawly Case (11:30 a.m., Saturday and Sunday) and carnivorous plant feeding with Prof. Von Trap (1:30 p.m., daily).
Another highlight is the family-friendly Bug Ball, an evening to celebrate among insects, spiders and other multi-legged creatures. Youngsters can play games, create crafts, decorate pumpkins and bring home lots of loot. Guests can also enjoy a festive feast with menu items like creepy pizza fingers, scream cheese, pumpkin punch and much more. End the night dancing to your favorite monster jams. Bug Ball is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26. A sensory-friendly Bug Ball takes place on Sunday, Oct. 27, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
For adults, Wicked Wings and Wine is a Friday night 21+ event, with a chance to sample local brews and wine through the torch-lit garden, while learning about owl butterflies and enjoying festive music. Dare to try light appetizers such as chocolate chirp cookies or mango mealworm chutney, compliments of the Bug Chef! Wicked Wings and Wine takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 4, and Oct. 11.
BOOterfly House events are included with general admission ($8 adults, $5 children 3-12, free for Missouri Botanical Garden members), Wicked Wings and Wine and Bug Ball require advance purchase of tickets; butterflyhouse.org
WHAT: Howloween in the Delmar Loop
WHEN: Noon to 5 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 27
WHERE: Throughout the Delmar Loop
Treat yourself to a scavenger hunt, pet costume contest, kids’ activities and surprises throughout the Delmar Loop the Sunday before Halloween.
A scavenger hunt through the Loop is planned from noon to 3 p.m. Registration ($5 per person) is required online or in-person at Craft Alliance. The pet costume contest follows at 3 p.m. at the Moonrise Hotel, with local celebrity judges on hand. Registration for the pet costume contest ($5 per entry) begins Oct. 7. visittheloop.com
WHAT: Central West End Halloween Party
WHEN: 11 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, Oct. 26
WHERE: Maryland and Euclid avenues in the Central West End
St. Louis’ biggest Halloween street party kicks off at 11 a.m. with a kids’ costume parade featuring Cinderella and her carriage, clowns, face-painters and Kennedy Holmes as this year’s grand marshal. The parade begins at Walton Row and McPherson Avenue.
Other daytime events include neighborhood business trick-or-treating (noon), dog costume parade and party (1 p.m.) and live entertainment (2 p.m.).
The event’s biggest draw, the adults-only party, begins at 6 p.m. and features a DJ, fire and hula hoop dancers and more. Registration is required for the adults-only costume contest, which opens at 6 p.m. at the stage. cwescene.com
