Halloween Events in St. Louis Oct. 13-16

The Halloween fun kicks off all across the St. Louis area this weekend, so it's time to break out your kids' costumes and get your treat bags ready! Here is a handy list of Halloween events happening from Thursday, Oct. 13 to Sunday, Oct. 16. Please note, some events require registration. Now, get ready for a frighteningly good time with your little monsters!

All Weekend:

Halloween at Grant's Farm 

Get into the Halloween spirit with some spooky fun and celebrate with the animals at Grant's Farm. Enjoy Halloween-themed shows, a DJ in the Bauernhof courtyard and dark Deer Park rides. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The parking lot opens at 5:45 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring flashlights to search for animals during the dark Deer Park rides. Parking is $20 per car. Walk-ups are $5 per person. More information: grantsfarm.com

The BOOterfly House: Bewitching Bugs and Botanicals

The Butterfly House becomes The BOOterfly House this October to celebrate all things creepy and crawly. Kids can spy on spectacular spiders, enjoy daily story times with Miss Muffet and see Live Carnivorous Plant feedings. Meet new frightful friends in the Scorpion's Lair, watch out for Botanicals Gone Mad in the Conservatory and spy on spectacular spiders with Little Miss Muffet! The BOOterfly House activities are happening during October (Tuesdays through Sundays) at The Butterfly House in Faust Park. All activities are included with admission.  Story time with Miss Muffet happens daily at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Live Carnivorous Plant Feedings are held at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The Butterfly House is closed on Mondays. BOOterfly House activities will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays through Oct. 31.  More information: butterflyhouse.org

Enter Our #SweetScare Decorating Contest 

Create your own delicious fun and you could win a birthday party worth $275! Decorate a sweet or scary cupcake or cookie at Sweetology or in your own kitchen and enter our #Sweetscare decorating contest! See complete details here

Thursday, Oct. 13:

Little Goblins Trick or Treat

Bring your little one for some indoor trick or treating, a spooky scavenger hunt, pumpkin decorating, games and more. Kids will also be treated to a healthy snack. For ages 1 to 5. Cost is $5-$7 per child. Parent participation and advance registration are required. At The Point in Ballwin. 10 to 11:30 a.m. More information and online registration: ballwinmo.us

Friday, Oct. 14:

Halloween Family Movie Night

It's scary how much fun you'll have at this free Halloween Family Movie Night that kicks off with a costume parade! The whole family is encouraged to dress up and showcase their costumes, then enjoy a free showing of Casper. Reservations are requested. The event is open to all, so invite your friends. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The costume parade starts at 6:50 and the movie starts at 7 p.m. Admission is free. Special popcorn treats and water will be available for $1. At the West County Family YMCA. Reserve your seats via email to: jamie.cannon@gwrymca.org More information: gwrymca.org

Party in the Patch

Celebrate fall with a candy hunt, hay rides, a bounce house, carnival games and more at this Halloween party sponsored by the city of Clayton. A hot dog dinner is included. 6 to 8:30 p.m. in Shaw Park. Registration is required, and the cost is $8 for kids 14 and under in advance and $10 on the day of the event.  More information at claytonmo.gov

Saturday, Oct. 15:

Fall Festival and Pumpkin Race in Des Peres Park

Celebrate Fall at this free community festival that features a little bit of everything for all ages. Enjoy hayrides, balloon animals, pumpkin races, a pet costume contest, live bluegrass music and a family movie under the stars. The featured movie is Zootopia. Local restaurants will be selling food in the park beginning at 4 p.m., and visitors are welcome to bring coolers or purchase beverages from local Boy Scout Troop 313. 4 to 9 p.m. at Des Peres Park. More information, a schedule of events and rules for the pumpkin race: desperesmo.org

Halloween Frenzy

It's all about pumpkins, carousel rides and Halloween fun at the Halloween Frenzy. Kids should come in costume and bring a decorated pumpkin to enter into the best pumpkin contest. Guests can also ride the carousel, play games and enjoy a treat. For ages 4-10. Cost is $10 per child. Registration is required by calling 314-615-8345. 10:30 a.m. at The Carousel in Faust Park. More information: stlouisco.com

Treat Street

Children 12 and under can participate in trick or treating, pumpkin decorating, face painting, a Halloween photo op, fun music and more. There will also be a costume contest for kids ages 6 months to 12 years. Remember to bring a bag to collect your Halloween treats! At Town and Country Crossing. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free. More information: townandcountrycrossing.com

Colors Over the Confluence

Celebrate Fall at the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower during Colors Over the Confluence. Hear haunting tales from professional storytellers, paint pumpkins and meet a variety of birds from TreeHouse Wildlife Center. Admisson to the festival is free. There is a fee to tour the tower. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lewis & Clark Confluence in Hartford, Ill. More information: confluencetower.com

Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Parade

The best-dressed pooches in the region will strut their stuff for one of the biggest Halloween kickoff events in the St. Louis area. The 2nd annual Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Parade is a morning of fun for every member of your family. The event is hosted by Project Restore, an Edwardsville organization dedicated to addressing education, clean water, and medical care issues in developing countries. All proceeds will help Project Restore construct an inpatient dormatory at its Wakiso District Medical Clinic in Uganda.  The Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Parade includes raffles, giveaways and other family activities. It's free to watch the parade, and $20 to enter your pup into the parade/costume contest.

Registration begins at 10 a.m. and the parade beginging at 10:30 a.m. in Joe Glik Park in Edwardsville. Dogs must remain leashed, have current vaccination tags and wear ID tags at all times.  For more information on registration, email info@project-restore.org or call 618-781-4193.

Haunted Hayrides and Pumpkin Jamboree

There is lots of ghoulish fun for all ages on hayrides through Eckert's haunted orchards. Hayrides happen on Friday and Saturday nights after the sun goes down at Eckert Farms in Millstadt. You can also ride the wagons during daytime hours out to the pumpkin patch to search for your great pumpkin, even one up to 150 pounds, at the Pumpkin Jamboree. There will be live music, pony rides, a petting farm, children’s activities, make-your-own scarecrow, funnel cakes and festival foods. At Eckerts Farms in Belleville, Millstadt and Grafton, Ill. More information: eckerts.com

Sunday, Oct. 16

Fall Into Science: Chili Fest

Kids will love watching Science Goes Splat demonstrations with apples, pumpkins and squash, visitors will learn about dinosaurs (the original chickens), enjoy fantastic food samples (pumpkin ice cream and a caramel apple bar anyone?), a chili cook off, roasted corn, pumpkin pastries, beer and wine tastings for mom and dad, and fun fall activities for all ages. You'll learn what happens on the farm during harvest! At Fall Into Science: Chili Fest, you'll chill out learning about liquid nitrogen, enjoy chili cookoff samples from Local Harvest, Chris' Pancake House, Culvers and Cafe Manhattan (1-4 p.m.), and a hot sauce demonstration. Vegan and carne chili will be available. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Saint Louis Science Center. Free. More information: slsc.org

Pumpkin Jamboree

Ride the wagons during daytime hours out to the pumpkin patch to search for your great pumpkin, even one up to 150 pounds, at the Pumpkin Jamboree. There will be live music, pony rides, a petting farm, children’s activities, make-your-own scarecrow, funnel cakes and festival foods. At Eckerts Farms in Belleville, Millstadt and Grafton, Ill. More information: eckerts.com

Not in the mood for Halloween yet? There are lots of other fun things happening this weekend too! See our Things To Do calendar for a full list. Want a daily list? Get our daily Things To Do email.

Check back next week for an even bigger list of weekend Halloween fun happening across the St. Louis area!