As Halloween approaches, there are numerous opportunities for ghouls, ghosts and other creatures to get their fill of treats throughout Jefferson County and Eureka.
Numerous organizations and businesses will hold free trunk-or-treat events throughout the area, each one offering children a one-stop chance to collect candy and take part in other fun activities.
Here is a list of some of the planned events.
Arnold Chamber of Commerce
The Arnold Chamber of Commerce’s annual trunk or treat and food drive will have additional entertainment this year. The event, which is free to attend, is from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, in the Fox Elementary School parking lot, 739 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold.
Courtney Sokolis, the chamber’s executive director, said up to 45 area businesses and organizations will be giving out candy, and entertainers will perform while people wait in line. There will be two haunted areas set up inside the elementary school, and the Arnold Police, Rock Community Fire Protection District, Rock Township Ambulance District and Ortmann Concrete are scheduled to bring vehicles for children to explore. A DJ also will play music during the event.
The haunted areas in the school will be in the gym, which will be geared toward younger children, and a hallway, which is geared toward older children, Sokolis said.
The chamber also will collect donations for the Gateway Food Pantry. Sokolis said the pantry’s van will be at the school to collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations also will be accepted.
For more information, go to arnoldchamber.org, email director@arnoldchamber.org or call 636-296-1910.
First Baptist Church of Arnold
The First Baptist Church of Arnold’s trunk or treat is from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, on Lot H, 2012 Missouri State Road. The event will be moved inside if there is inclement weather.
Amber Hempen, First Baptist’s communications director, said at least 20 of the church’s groups and area businesses and organizations are expected to give away candy, and the church has space for up to 30 trunk or treat spots.
The event, which is free to attend, also will feature a petting zoo and inflatable play areas. Food vendors also will sell items during the trunk or treat.
Hempen said the church also will provide information about its upcoming Family Fun Night at the Magic House. The free event is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Magic House, 516 Kirkwood Road, in Kirkwood. For more information, go to fbcarnold.org or call 636-296-7729.
‘Boo at the Barn’
Are you ready for a night of scares? The “Boo at the Barn” event will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Bridle Ridge Acres Farm, 200 Bridle Ridge Lane in Hillsboro.
Admission is free.
Mandy Alley, the marketing coordinator for the Greater Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce, said the event is great for families. She said the event is a collaboration between the chamber and the Hillsboro R-3 School District.
Alley said “Boo at the Barn” activities will include a trunk or treat, a haunted trail, a haunted hayloft, pumpkin painting, live animals, food, a costume contest and more.
During the event, donations will be accepted for the Hillsboro Agricultural Department.
First-, second- and third-place prizes will be awarded to the best decorated cars in the trunk or treat. A bag of candy will be provided to each participant.
The third annual Hillsboro Halloween Parade was scheduled before “Boo at the Barn,” but it was canceled on Oct. 8.
Alley said the parade was called off because of “lower than anticipated” registration.
“We’ve also received feedback from businesses and organizations about the challenges of participating in both the parade and the trunk or treat at Boo at the Barn,” she said. “Because trunk or treat participants must be set up before the parade would begin, many have found it difficult to participate in both activities.”
To enter a vehicle in the trunk or treat, contact Crissy Mann at mann_crissy@hsdr3.org or the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce at 636-481-6718.
De Soto Main Street Trick or Treat
The De Soto Chamber of Commerce Main Street Trick or Treat will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 24. Regular residential trick-or-treating will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Oct. 31.
Twin City Area Chamber of Commerce
The annual Trick or Treat Spooktacular sponsored by the Twin City Area Chamber of Commerce runs from 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 24, with stores and offices along Festus Main Street and Crystal City Bailey Road distributing treats to youngsters. There is no cost to participate in the candy giveaway.
“It’s a fun and safe trick or treat tradition,” said Denise Kist, the chamber director.
Mary Zebrowski, the chamber’s executive director, said the terrific involvement of downtown businesses, as well as some other businesses from other parts of the cities who give away treats from booths, helps make the event popular not only with Twin City residents, but with folks from well outside of the area.
“We get kids from all over,” Zebrowski said. “We get great participation from the merchants along Main Street and Bailey Road.”
An example of an entity from outside the Twin Cities taking part is Autumn Ridge Residences of Herculaneum, which will give out cotton candy, she said.
The event also features a free costume contest in front of the Twin City Area Chamber of Commerce office, 109 E. Main St. Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners in different age categories. The family costume contest will be at 9:30 a.m., followed by the contest for children 3 and younger at 10 a.m., the contest for children aged 4-6 at 10:30 a.m. and the contest for children aged 7-10 at 11 a.m.
In conjunction with the Spooktacular, Main Key Realty with the help of Jefferson R-7 Middle School cheerleaders will hold a haunted house in its building at 114 E. Main St. The cost for entry into the haunted house is $5 per participant.
For more information, go to the chamber website at twincitychamber.com.
Crystal City High School Trunk or Treat
Crystal City High School will hold a Trunk or Treat from 6-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, in the High School gymnasium, 1100 Mississippi Ave. in Crystal City.
The event is presented by Crystal City High School clubs and athletic teams.
Admission to the event is free, however, it is encouraged to bring a canned food item for the food drive.
Eric Pouvaranukoah, Crystal City High School principal, said the donations will be given to the Festus Crystal City Elks.
“The last couple of years we’ve donated (the items) to the Festus Crystal City Elks to try and help some of the local families in the area,” he said.
Attendees may enter the gymnasium lobby to drop off any donations and then enter the trunk or treat event.
“We have all the different tables set up with activities,” Pouvaranukoah said. “We dim the lights and play music for the kids.”
He said some play quick games at their tables with the attendees.
If there is any organization or individuals interested in tabling, call the high school so they could run a background check prior to the event, Pouvaranukoah said.
He said the district tries to hold community events like this each month throughout the school year.
“We just try to do something different each month, and in October, the trunk or treat is just something easy for us to do and as far as trying to get the community involved and coming to the schools,” Pouvaranukoah said.
He said this is another great way for high school students to meet with some of the elementary-aged students at the district.
The trunk or treat event is open to any families in the community. For more information about the event, call the Crystal City High School at 636-937-4411.
Jefferson College Community Trunk or Treat
Jefferson College will host its annual community Trunk or Treat event from 5:30-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, on the blue parking lot on the Hillsboro campus, 1000 Viking Drive.
The event is free to the public and will include trick-or-treating, games and prizes.
Food trucks will be on hand at the event including Traveling Tom’s Brunch Box, BYOB Coffee & Dirty Soda, Hog Call BBQ and Dynasty Manna.
Party Paws will also be in attendance and will have various animals for attendees to see.
Brandi Gallaway, Jefferson College student development coordinator, said the participants who hand out candy are made up of the student clubs, organizations and various departments from campus and community-approved community partners.
New to the event this year will be a children’s and pet costume contest.
“The Early Childhood Center is going to run the children’s costume contest, and the Vet Tech Center is going to run the pet costume contest,” Gallaway said.
The children’s costume contest will be for ages 12 and under.
“We do try to be kid friendly, so we don’t try to be scary, gross or anything like that,” she said. “It’s just kid-friendly stuff.”
Parking assistance will be provided by Boy Scout Troop No. 406.
“Boy Scout Troop No. 406 helps park, the Hillsboro School District donates a bus driver for that day for shuttling, and then we also have golf carts to shuttle (attendees) from the various parking lots,” Gallaway said.
For more information, visit the Jefferson College Facebook page or contact Gallaway at bgallawa@jeffco.edu or call 636-481-3231.
Jefferson County 911 Dispatch
Jefferson County 911 Dispatch’s “Truck or Treat” event is from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, in the upper parking lot at Northwest High School, 6005 Cedar Hill Road in Cedar Hill.
Public information officer Kara Lewis said more than 20 police, fire and EMS agencies are expected to give away candy at this free event.
“We can’t wait for everyone to come out,” Lewis said. “We’re happy to provide a safe place for kids, where parents know they’re getting safe candy.”
The Cosmic Donuts, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee and Santiago Apostol Taqueria food trucks will provide food and drinks for purchase on-site.
For the second year, 911 Dispatch will collect nonperishable food items at the truck or treat to donate to Brenden’s Friday Backpacks, a nonprofit that provides food for children in need over the weekend when they do not have access to school breakfasts or lunches, Lewis said.
The program feeds more than 1,600 children in 60 schools throughout Jefferson County on a weekly basis during the school year, according to its website. In-demand food items include kid-friendly canned soup or pasta, pudding or fruit cups, plastic jars of peanut butter, individually bagged chips or pretzels and single-serve cereal boxes.
Leaning into the “truck or treat” theme, Anytime Auto Glass in De Soto will have a large truck display at the event, Lewis said.
Children are encouraged to attend the event in their Halloween costumes and meet first responders, Lewis said.
“Our telecommunicators hear about the bad days that everybody has, because that’s all we get: the calls where they’re having bad days,” she said. “So, we like to see everyone when they’re smiling and having great days, pulling telecommunicators out of the room so they can see that positive side of the outreach we get.”
For information about the event, visit Jefferson County 911 Dispatch – Annual Truck or Treat Facebook event page or call dispatch’s non-emergency line, 636-797-9999.