Top 10 Halloween Events in St. Louis for Your Little Ghouls and Goblins

Halloween is no joke in St. Louis. It's serious fun! Take a look at the Halloween events that made our can't-miss Top 10 list of Halloween family events for 2022!

Boo at the Zoo Nights

Explore the St. Louis Zoo after dark at Boo at the Zoo. Bring your little ghouls and goblins to this non-scary celebration designed just for kids. Though this is not a trick-or-treating experience, family-friendly costumes are encouraged.

Find costumed characters lurking about the Zoo, play "Hide and Ghost Seek" and look for the ghosts hidden in the trees along Historic Hill. Look hauntingly good as you pose in front of ghosts, pumpkins, Frankenstein or mummies for spooky photos. Take a spin on the not-so-spooky "Scare-ou-sel," the Conservation Carousel draped in cobwebs! Rides are free!

There will also be 10-foot-tall Halloween statues lurking around Historic Hill, perfect for spooky selfies. These gentle giants include a skeleton, dragon and snake. Also perfect for pictures is the light-up Saint Louis Zoo sign, which will glow in the dark as night falls. At the Herpetarium, check out the turtles, tortoises, frogs, toads, snakes, lizards and more! For a little more hocus pocus, check out the Insectarium and see a variety of creepy, crawly creatures. And be sure to visit Caribbean Cove! (It's free!)

Boo at the Zoo in 2022 will be held October 14-30. Admission for ages 2 and up is:

October 14-16: $10 for Zoo members; $12 for non-members.

October 17-20: $9 for Zoo members; $11 for non-members.

October 21-23: $10 for Zoo members; $12 for non-members.

October 24-27: $10 for Zoo members; $12 for non-members.

October 28-30: $11 for Zoo members; $13 for non-members.

Children under 2 are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance online. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. 

Boo at the Zoo is held nightly October 14-30, 2022. Two admission time slots are available for each evening of Boo at the Zoo: 5 to 6:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m. Boo at the Zoo ends at 8:30 p.m. nightly. Free parking is available on the North and South lots during the event. You may enter through the North or South entrance. More information and advance tickets: stlzoo.org. And for even more Halloween fun at the Saint Louis Zoo, check out Halloweekends!

Howl-O-Ween Fest at Purina Farms

Bring your whole family to Purina Farms for some fall fun at the Howl-O-Ween Fest! You'll enjoy petting animals, special performances by the Purina Incredible Dog Team, lots of not-so-spooky photo opportunities, pony rides, face painting, wagon rides and more. Reservations are required. Plus, dress your kids (or your whole family) and your dog in costume to participate in the Costume Paw-ty! Purina Farms Howl-O-Ween Fest is scheduled for:

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 21, 22 and 23, from 3:30 to 8 p.m. each day.

Activities at Howl-O-Ween Fest include:

• Live petting animal areas
• Magician
• Face Painting (requires additional fee)
• Pony Rides (required additional fee)
• Wagon Rides
• Bounce House
• Photo Booth

Advance registration is required! Please be prepared to show your registration receipt on your phone or provide a printed copy of your registration confirmation upon arrival.

Parking is $20 per vehicle with a portion of the proceeds going to support Open Door Animal Sanctuary. There is no additional admission fee. Dogs are welcome! See Purina Farms' pet policy guidelines here. For more information and to register go to: purinafarms.com

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Halloween Magic at The Magic House 

Halloween is bigger and more boo-tiful than ever at The Magic House! Visit The Magic House for Halloween Magic, featuring indoor and outdoor experiences and all of your favorite Magic House exhibits – with a Halloween twist.

Halloween Magic includes the traditional Not-So-Haunted House on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, (Oct. 14-16, 21-23 & 28-30), where storybook characters come alive and make surprise visits throughout the museum. Children ages 2 to 12 can trick or treat throughout the museum using jokes and riddles to find treat locations, and families will enjoy Halloween craft projects in the Art Studio as well as all their favorite play experiences, many with a Halloween twist. 

And don't miss the Mostly Ghostly Haunted Mansion! Have you heard the rumors that The Magic House is haunted at night? Now you have the chance to explore this mysterious possibility! Take a private spooky tour of the 1901 Victorian House where it all started and play along the way! At the Mostly Ghostly Haunted Mansion, make creepy poses in the Shadow Wall, have your hair stand on end at the Electrostatic Generator, twirl down the three-story slide amidst hanging bats and find out where the secret staircase really leads. The rest of the Museum will be open too, plus enjoy delicious Dracula donuts and chilling beverages. The Mostly Ghostly Haunted Mansion will be held October 28, 29 and 30 from 5:45 to 8:45 p.m. Recommended for children ages 7 and above.

Outdoor experiences include Trick or Treat Town, where kids can put on their witches' hats (helmets), pick out their favorite broomstick (tricycle) and explore everything this Halloween-themed town has to offer. Your adventure includes stops at the Craft Shop, Candy Shop, Firehouse and more. After kids are done exploring, they can park their trike and play some fun yard games, like pumpkin tic-tac-toe!

Halloween Magic is happening Tuesdays through Sundays, October 4 through 30 at The Magic House. Learn more and register at magichouse.org

Science Spooktacular at The Saint Louis Science Center

Science gets spooky at the Saint Louis Science Center's Halloween Science Spooktacular! Get ready for science thrills at this no-cost, candy-free event packed with Halloween-themed festivities for the entire family.

Halloween Nights at Grant's Farm

Get into the Halloween spirit with some spooky fun and celebrate with the animals at Grant's Farm. Enjoy Halloween tram rides, Halloween lights, spooky scenes, carousel rides, the all-new scare zone, monster mash party and more. Costumes are encouraged. Halloween Nights at Grant's Farms are held Thursdays through Sundays until Oct. 30. Hours are 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays and 6 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Early arrival is recommended, as this event gets crowded. Parking is $18 per car when purchased at the event, $15 in advance. Tram ride tickets are $10 per person for all riders over age 3. Fun pass tickets for the carousel rides and goat feedings are $10 per child.  More information: grantsfarm.com

Superhero Halloween Party at MADE for Kids

The Halloween fun doesn't stop at the Kirkwood Magic House! Head over to MADE for Kids, 5127 Delmar Blvd., the Magic House's makerspace for kids, and enjoy a Superhero Halloween Party on October 29 and 30! 

Kids can wear their favorite costumes and enjoy a super special day, including meeting superheroes like Black Panther, Wonder Woman, Batman and Spiderman (11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day). Visitors can also make their own superhero mask, design their own Halloween costume and create a pipe cleaner superhero. The Superhero Halloween Party will be held:

• Saturday, October 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday, October 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

The Superhero Halloween Party is at MADE for Kids, 5127 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, Mo., 63108, and is included with admission. More information: magichouse.org

Frights and Heights at the Gateway Arch

The tallest monument in the United States will become the spookiest on October 15 during Frights and Heights at the Gateway Arch. The Arch will transform into a family-friendly Halloween party full of tricks and treats. 

Kids may want to bring some jokes to collect their treats (because this is St. Louis!). Gift bags will be supplied for kids to collect candy throughout the evening. Frights and Heights includes a Trick or Tram ride to the top of the Arch, face painting, creepy crafts, balloon animals, live music with a Halloween dance party, puppet shows, freaky fudge and more. Tickets are $21 per person for ages 3 and up. 6:30-10 p.m. on October 15. More information and tickets: gatewayarch.com

The Healthy, History-Lovin' Halloween Party at the Missouri History Museum

Join the Missouri History Museum for a movin' and grovin' in-person Halloween party! Kids are encouraged to wear their costumes while they participate in candy-free trick or treating, Halloween-inspired spooktacular stretches and a monster mash dance bash, among other fun activities.  Guests can craft their own creepy or quirky mask, and enjoy a suspenseful story time!

There will be limited access to the family-friendly Haunted History Clubhouse at 5, 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m. The Healthy History-Lovin' Halloween Party is free. 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 27. For more information and to register: mohistory.org. 

Ecktoberfest

Wear your costumes to the farm at Eckert's for Ecktoberfest. Activities include feeding goats, a children's carnival, caramel apples, wagon rides, festival foods, live entertainment, apple picking and more. Ecktoberfest is happening Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout October at Eckerts Country Store and Farms in Belleville. For more information, go to eckerts.com

Children's Halloween Costume Parade and Party in the Central West End

Kids are the star of the show during the Central West End's Children's Costume Parade and Party. The parade begins at 11 a.m. followed by trick or treating at neighborhood businesses. Children in their favorite costumes will be escorted by Cinderella and her carriage, clowns, face painters and more. Events take place at the corner of Maryland and Euclid. After the parade, kids can trick or treat at participating businesses throughout the Central West End until 1 p.m. More information: cwescene.com

^{Photos Saint Louis Zoo, The Magic House, stock.}

Find lots more Halloween fun in our Things To Do calendar!

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