holiday light displays in St. Louis

U.S. Bank Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo

U.S. Bank Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo is back for another beautifully lit season. Your family can stroll through the Zoo grounds surrounded by a million lights! Visitors will see twinkling light displays, enjoy fun photo opportunities, holiday carolers, Santa's woodland workshop, roaming entertainers, and lots more in this enchanting holiday wonderland.

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Sensory-Friendly Night at U. S. Bank Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo

Sensory-Friendly Night is designed for individuals with sensory sensitivities and their families. This night will mirror the traditional Wild Lights experience, but will include sensory maps, quiet areas, and trained Zoo staff to assist individuals. Sensory Night is supported by The Autism Clinic at Hope.

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Winter Wonderland in Tilles Park

Experience the holiday lights in Tilles Park, where you'll find thousands of beautiful holiday lights and animated displays designed by St. Louis County Parks employees. You can drive through Winter Wonderland evenings from 5:30-9:30 p.m. except Mondays (for Winter Wonderland Walk only) and Saturdays (for carriage rides only).

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Science Illuminated

Celebrate the science behind some of your favorite holiday decorations - lights! This new holiday celebration at the Saint Louis Science Center will present a light display that uses leading-edge technology and science demonstrations to show the science of light.

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Top 10 Holiday Must-Do’s for St. Louis Families

During the holidays, St. Louis transforms into a winter wonderland that rivals the North Pole itself (minus the snow). With incredible light displays that spark excitement in every child, train rides that put them face to face with Santa himself, and bazaars that feature handmade gifts even the elves would envy, there’s something magical for every member of the family. Our picks for this year include:

Wild Lights

There’s something about seeing the father of your children perched precariously atop an unstable ladder, steel blade rake in his outstretched arm as he swats at the air, still several feet away from a dangling strand of Christmas lights that you guilted him into hanging onto a 30-foot pine tree, that makes you truly appreciate the raw power you harness within your female body parts.

It’s almost scary.

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Things to Do

The BOOterfly House: Bewitching Bugs and Botanicals at The Butterfly House

The Butterfly House becomes The BOOterfly House in October to celebrate all things creepy and crawly. Kids can hang out with Professor Von Flytrap and his friends in the Creepy Crawly Cave and have lots of hair-raising fun.

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Music & Movement

Explore songs, finger plays, music and more during this Music & Movement class for ages 2-6. Some sessions are held in person at various branches of the St. Louis County Library. Some sessions are virtual.

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Trike Town at The Magic House

Adventures abound at Trike Town, the outdoor, child-size city at The Magic House. Kids can pick out their favorite little red tricycle and explore the entire town while learning about bicycle safety and the importance of wearing a helmet.

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Storytime and Stroll at Deer Creek Greenway

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Join Great Rivers Greenway for a free Storytime and Stroll on the Deer Creek Greenway in Maplewood. This one-hour meetup includes children's stories and hands-on nature activities followed by a stroll on a greenway.

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Pumpkin Decorating in the Park

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Bring you little ones to this fun-filled pumpkin decorating event designed just for little hands! Pumpkin Decorating in the Park encourages children ages 2-5 to get creative as they decorate their very own pumpkins using an assortment of festive stickers. All materials and pumpkins are provided.

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Celebrate the ageless power of music with Disney/Pixar’s Coco on the big screen as your St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs the movie’s magical score live. Inspired by the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, the film follows 12-year-old Miguel as he enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer, and to confront his family's ancestral ban on music. Don’t miss this evening where every melody is a memory, and every song is a bridge between worlds. Coco in Concert takes place Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. at Stifel Theater. LEARN MORE AND GET TICKETS

Lace up and leash up for a great cause! You and your dog are invited to run, jog, or walk in the Purple Leash 5K & Fun Run at Purina Farms on October 12. Compete for top dog in our 5K race or take it easy in our 1-mile fun run. Put your paws to the pavement and then head over to the TAILgate after party for food, drinks, music and more all while raising awareness for the Purple Leash Project. All purple outfits and purple dog gear are highly encouraged! The Purple Leash Project was born out of the Purina mission to bring and keep pets and people together and the RedRover® mission to bring people and their pets from crisis to care. Your support of the Purple Leash Project assists domestic violence shelters on their journey to welcome family pets by funding pet-friendly renovations. LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Olympia Gymnastics is thrilled to announce we've been voted Best Gymnastics Center in St. Louis and an All-Star in Sports & Recreation by the STL Post-Dispatch's Headliner! Your trust and enthusiasm inspires us every day to provide the best happy, healthy and confident experience for kids in our region. To keep up with our growth and bring even more joy to local families, we're hiring! If you (or someone you know) love working with kids and want to be part of something special, this is your chance! We are looking for administrative assistants, gymnastics & ninja instructors, team coaches, office managers, event specialists and more! Visit Careers | Olympia Gymnastics to learn more and apply today!

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