Monarch butterflies are headed south for the winter, and the National Park Service and the city of St. Louis are celebrating the journey with the Great MonArch Migration event. Pollinator experts from the Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis Zoo, and the Missouri Department of Conservation will lead monarch-themed activities, like making milkweed seed balls and insect hotels, and will share monarch gardening tips.
Activities will take place in front of the new west entrance to the Gateway Arch as well as inside the Arch Visitors Center. Free refreshments, native plants and seed packets will be available while supplies last.
It's also the National Park Service Fee Free Day, in which the entrance fee to all NPS sites is waived. Visitors to the Gateway Arch can enjoy $3 off their adult tram ride ticket or documentary movie that day.
Saturday, September 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Gateway Arch.
More information: gatewayarch.com
The Saint Louis Art Fair is a free, three-day celebration of the visual and performing arts that includes a Creative Castle for kids on Saturday and Sunday.
The annual Kirkwood Greentree Festival will be held September 18 - 20 in Kirkwood Park. This free, family festival features a parade that steps off on Saturday at 10 a.m. beginning at Kirkwood High School, entertainment and food vendor booths, and kids activities.
Wagon rides, live entertainment, great festival foods, a petting zoo and much more make this an apple pickin' good time for the whole family. There will be pony rides, a children's carnival, opportunities to feed goats and other farm animals, caramel apples, funnel cakes and more.
Enjoy a family-friendly celebration of autumn at the Saint Louis Zoo's Zootoberfest! Kids can participate in all the regular Zoo fun and explore new adventures at Zootoberfest activity stations. Families will enjoy an Oktoberfest-style event with beer and root beer, German-themed cuisine, and live music.
Families are invited to the Saint Louis Art Museum on Sunday afternoon to participate in free hands-on art activities with fun themes and to explore the galleries. Each Family Sunday focuses on a different family-friendly theme.