The Greater St. Louis Metro Area Train Show features an entire gymnasium full of hundreds of feet of operating train layouts and another gymnasium full of train sets and Thomas Trains for sale by dealers from across the country.
Kids can get up close to a large "garden railroad" featuring trains running on the gymnasium floor. There will also be a large operating layout made entirely of LEGOS, a Thomas the Tank model train, and dozens of detailed scenes including a lock and dam and automobile plant.
Children under 12 and any student with an ID will get in free. Adult admission is $7 per person.
At the Kirkwood Community Center. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More information: www.seetrains.com
It's the Not-So-Haunted House that is oh-so-fun, where storybook characters come alive! Kids are invited to dress in their most "boo-tiful" Halloween costumes and have a ghoulishly good time going on a spook-tacular scavenger hunt throughout The Magic House to find trick-or-treat locations and seeing their favorite storybook characters.
Get into the Halloween spirit with some spooky fun and celebrate with the animals at Grant's Farm. Enjoy Halloween tram rides featuring Halloween lights, spooky scenes, live actors, scare zones, a Halloween-themed show, monster mash party and more. Costumes are encouraged.
The Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Garden features more than 150 vendors offering handcrafted items, locally produced food, native plants, herbs, live music and local brews, plus a two-acre Kid's Corner with farm animals (like llamas, alpacas and sheep!), circus performers, face painting, crafts, and a pumpkin patch with decorating let by Perennial.
Families can enjoy the Fall Fest Kids Zone and all the fun of the farm at the Grant's Farm Fall Fest. There will be seasonal treats, animal feedings, a petting zoo, themed photo spots, and the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales too!
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.