Good Morning!

If your October calendar is already looking a little crowded, we have some explaining to do.

Because this week alone, there’s a pumpkin hunt, a harvest festival, a pet parade, local theater, an art workshop, Oktoberfest celebrations, and a few things that are just plain unusual.

And honestly? Those are usually our favorite things.

One quick heads-up before we get started: Starting next Wednesday, October 7, What’s Up Wentzville is moving to Wednesday mornings! We’re making the switch so you’ll get your weekly dose of local happenings a day earlier—and have just a little more time to make those weekend plans. Same newsletter, same local finds, just a little sooner. 😉

Here’s what’s up around Wentzville this week!👇

Starting overnight Friday, October 2, MoDOT is shifting eastbound I-70 traffic into the final lane configuration between the Foristell weigh station and Wentzville Parkway. Then, on Tuesday, October 6, the westbound David Hoekel Parkway ramps are scheduled to close for about 30 days. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained on I-70 during peak travel times.

St. Charles County has pushed the Eisenbath Road closure west of Freymuth Road to Monday, October 5. The closure is expected to last about 40 days, with no through traffic and an alternate route required.

📍 Shook Theatre, St. Charles Community College
⏰ 7 PM

If you like your theater with a little suspense, Wait Until Dark might be your Thursday-night ticket. St. Charles Community College’s Center Stage Theatre presents this thriller with performances Thursday through Sunday.

Tickets are $15 general admission and $10 for adults 55+, veterans, and area students.

Also showing: Friday at 10 AM and 7 PM, Saturday at 7 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM.

📍 Foundry Art Centre, St. Charles
🕔 5–8 PM

Head to the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles for an evening of new art, music, and a little creative wandering. October’s First Friday features several new exhibitions, a reception for the Grand Hall Mural Project, and live music by Chloe Hoth. It’s a nice way to ease into the weekend—and admission is free.

📍 Wentzville Rec Center
⏰ 9–10 AM

Got a kid who likes computers, games, or figuring out how things work? This hands-on coding class lets kids work in the eSports Lab with a Microsoft software engineer to fix and customize their own version of Cookie Clicker.

Ages and registration details apply, so check the city's Parks & Rec page before heading out.

📍 Broemmelsiek Park – Agriculture Educational Garden, 1615 Schwede Road, Wentzville
⏰ 10 AM–3 PM

It’s harvest time at Broemmelsiek Park, and this one has a little bit of everything. Expect pumpkin painting, egg tosses, vendors, hayrides, wreath-making, historical demonstrations, a corn maze, antique engines, food, and more.

This year’s theme is “Harvest, Heritage, and Handmade.” Admission is free, although some activities and food have an additional cost.

📍 Progress Park, Heartland Park, Fireman’s Park & Peruque Valley Park
⏰ Hunt begins at 10:30 AM

Imagination Pottery Studio is hiding 100 ceramic pumpkins around four Wentzville parks: Progress, Heartland, Fireman’s, and Peruque Valley.

Find one, bring it back to the studio, and you can paint it for free during regular studio hours.

One pumpkin per family, please—because even ceramic pumpkins need rules. 😉

Event details are from Imagination Pottery Studio’s Facebook announcement; check their page for any last-minute updates.

📍 Crossroads Arts Council, 310 W. Pearce Blvd., Wentzville
⏰ 1–4 PM

Ever heard of Kinusaiga? It’s a Japanese fabric-art technique, and you can learn the basics at this hands-on class at Crossroads Arts Council.

The class is $25 and limited to eight people, so advance registration is required.

📍 Frenchtown, St. Charles
⏰ Parade at 10 AM; vendor fair 10:30 AM–noon

If your dog has ever given you the impression that they deserve their own parade, St. Charles is ready to make that happen.

Dress up your four-legged friend and head to Frenchtown for the PAW Parade. The parade starts at N. Second and Randolph streets and heads toward Bainbridge Street. A vendor fair follows, and proceeds benefit the City of St. Charles Animal Shelter.

Registration is $25 for adults and $20 for children and includes a T-shirt.

📍 Historic Main Street, St. Charles
⏰ 3–10 PM
🔞 21+

Grab your broomstick and head to Main Street for an evening of grown-up Halloween fun. Participating shops, drink specials, entertainment, music, contests, prizes, and more are all part of the evening.

Costumes are encouraged, naturally.

Tickets are $50 and include an event T-shirt, swag bag, exclusive Witch Stops, drink and dining specials, prizes, and after-party admission.

📍 Friendship Brewing & Distilling, 400 Crossroads Business Park Ct., Wentzville
⏰ 1–7 PM

Friendship is throwing its annual Oktoberfest party with German-style food, an Oktoberfest beer lineup, games, and festival fun.

If your ideal Saturday involves a little more beer garden and a little less pumpkin painting, this one's for you.

📍 Boulevard Park, Lake Saint Louis
⏰ 1–9 PM

Lake Saint Louis is throwing a big community party with live music, food trucks, a kids zone, and plenty of room to hang out.

Music: Rough Ryders, 2–5 PM; Steve Ewing Band, 6–8:30 PM.

Bring the family, bring some friends, and plan to stay awhile.

📍 150 W. Hwy D, New Melle

New Melle’s annual Oktoberfest brings together live music, German-inspired food, a beer garden, local vendors, a free kids carnival, a country market, a quilt raffle, a stein-hoist contest, disc golf, old-time tractors, and the community’s traditional sausage dinner.

📍 Crossroads Arts Center, 310 W. Pearce Blvd., Wentzville
⏰ 2–4 PM

Spend part of Sunday afternoon with local art at Crossroads Arts Council’s Travelogue exhibition. The public reception includes an awards ceremony and a chance to see the October show.

The exhibition itself runs through October 25, Thursday–Sunday, 11 AM–3 PM

📅 Thursday evenings through October
⏰ 5 PM
📍 Post-Dispatch Lake, Forest Park

Here’s a pretty fun way to learn some St. Louis history: from a kayak.

These one-hour guided paddles explore more than 150 years of Forest Park history, including the World’s Fair, the park’s creation and evolution, and some of the changes happening today. Guides from the Missouri History Museum’s See STL Tours program provide the narration.

Arrive at the Boathouse about 15 minutes early. Parking is available at the Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor’s Center, with street parking also available.

The cost is just $5, making this a pretty unusual way to spend a Thursday evening.

📅 Friday, October 2 and October 9
⏰ 5–9 PM | Movie at 7 PM
📍 Art Hill, Forest Park

Grab a blanket or lawn chair and head to Art Hill for two classic movies under the stars. The series kicks off this Friday with Men in Black, followed by Young Frankenstein the following Friday. Both evenings include food and music before the movie, and admission is free, making this an easy—and inexpensive—way to turn a movie night into a little Friday-night adventure.

Friday, October 2 — Men in Black
Friday, October 9 — Young Frankenstein

A nice option to have on the calendar now, whether you're looking for something to do this Friday or already thinking ahead to next weekend.

A few things coming up that are worth knowing about before the Thursday immediately preceding them:

📅 Thursday, October 8 OR Thursday, October 15
⏰ 5:15–8:30 PM
📍 Long Row Lavender, Wright City

Looking for a dinner that’s a little more memorable than your usual Thursday night? Long Row Lavender is hosting two evenings of Farm-to-Table dining, with a house-made mocktail and farm stroll from 5:15–6 PM, followed by dinner in the greenhouse from 6–8:30 PM.

The dinner is a collaboration with local farmers and Executive Chef Matthew Glickert of Westchester STL, with community-style seating in the greenhouse.

Two dates, same experience—pick the one that works best for you. Tickets are $100, and space is limited.

📅 Sunday, October 11
⏰ 10:30 AM
📍 Miss Augusta Yacht, Augusta

Here’s one for the “that’s different” file: a two-hour brunch cruise on the Missouri River aboard the Miss Augusta Yacht, benefiting Emmaus Homes.

The experience includes brunch, an open bar, bouquet bar, scenic river views, and stories from Emmaus clients and team members.

Tickets are limited, so this is one to look at sooner rather than later.

📅 Sunday, October 11
⏰ 11 AM–3 PM
📍 The Quarry, 3960 Highway Z, Wentzville

Book people, this one’s for you.

Double Dog Bookshop is teaming up with Wentzville Reads for the inaugural Fall Into Books market at The Quarry. More than 25 bookish vendors and authors will be there, along with a community book swap, storytime, and activities in the children’s section. Come browse, discover some new local authors and creators, and—let’s be honest—probably leave with more books than you intended to buy.

It’s a free, all-ages celebration of books, readers, and the local literary community, and we love seeing something like this happening right here in Wentzville.

The St. Charles City-County Library’s bookmobile will also be there.

Now the hard part: deciding what to actually do.

We’re sending you into the weekend with pumpkins to hunt, art to make, dogs to dress up, witches to unleash, theater to watch, and more than a few reasons to get out of the house.

And next week, you’ll get this little dose of local fun one day earlier. 🎉

Starting Wednesday, October 7, What’s Up Wentzville will land in your inbox on Wednesday mornings, giving you a little more time to look ahead, make plans, round up your people, and decide what you’re getting into.

Same local finds. Same slightly nosy neighborhood-event radar. Just one day sooner.

Have an event, fundraiser, hidden gem, or local favorite we should know about? Send it our way. Some of our favorite finds come from people who happen to notice something we didn’t.

Until next Wednesday, Wentzville—have fun out there!

— What’s Up Wentzville

Event details can change, so please check with the event organizer before heading out.