Places to Go, Things to Do

Lots of holiday lighting tours start

November is the time when holiday lighting and decorating tours spring up all over the metro St. Louis area on both sides of the river. But, there are plenty of other things to do also in November.

You'll get details on the Tilles Park Winter Wonderland, Santa's Magic Kingdom, Our Lady's of the Snows Way of Lights, the Botanical Garden's Wreath Exhibition, the Daniel Boone Home's Candlelight Tour and the Anheuser-Busch Lighting Display.

Don't forget the Missouri Department of Conservation's stocking of St. Louis area lakes for the winter trout season starts in November.

Then, this is signup time for the 2008 Laclede Quartet Kids Concert competition.

(Each month, Young Saint Louis.com gathers information about each month's activities and events that might interest kids and their families. Most of the emphasis is on Places to Go; Things to Do that are inexpensive.)

Holiday Lighting and Decoration Tours

Tilles Park Winter Wonderland

The 22nd annual Tilles Park Winter Wonderland tours start Nov. 16 and run through Jan. 6, 2008 in the St. Louis County park located at Litzinger and McKnight roads.

Hours are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday. Saturdays are reserved for carriage rides only.

Over one million lights are used to provide a delightful 20-minute car tour for families.

Fees start at $9 per family vehicle. There are higher fees for limos and buses.

For information, call (314) 615-7275 or visit www.stlouisco.com/parks. To make a carriage ride reservation, call (314) 534-1111.

Santa's Magic Kingdom in Eureka

Over two million lights go into the Santa's Magic Kingdom layout in Eureka, Mo.

The tours start on Nov. 15 and run through Jan. 1, 2008.

For information, call (636) 938-5925 or visit www.eurekachamber.us.

Our Lady of Snows' Way of Lights

The Way of Lights Christmas Display at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows near Belleville, Ill., opens November 16 and runs through January 6, 2008.

The display uses a million lights for unique electro-art sculptures.

Hours are from 5 to 10 p.m. Admission is free.

For information, call (618) 397-6700 or visit www.snows.org.

Botanical Garden Wreath Display

The Missouri Botanical Garden will host a Holiday Wreath Exhibition, starting Nov. and running through Jan, 1, 2008. The hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The exhibit will be of unusual, magnificent wreaths made by some of the area's finest floral designers.

Admission for adults is $8 but kids 12 and under get in free.

For information, call (314) 577-5100 or visit www.mobot.org.

Daniel Boone Candlelight Tour

Daniel Boone Home

The annual Candlelight Christmas Tour will be held at the Historic Daniel Boone Home near Defiance, Mo., in St. Charles County. The event will be from November 30 to December 15. The tour is open on Fridays and Saturdays, from 6 to 10 p.m.

The tour includes 19th century decorations, candles, lanterns and bonfires. There will be music, treats and surprises.

For information, call (636) 798-2005 or visit www.lindenwood.edu.

Anheuser-Busch Lights Display

The Anheuser-Busch Brewery Christmas Lights Display will be from November 16 through January 2, 2008. The display will be at the Bevo Plant on Pestalozzi Street.

Over 800,000 lights are used in the display.

For information, call (314) 577-2000.

Winter stocking of trout in St. Louis area lakes

The Missouri Department of Conservation will begin stocking St. Louis area lakes in November for winter fishing fun for kids and their families.

The trout stocking will begin as soon as the MDC fisheries experts determine that water in the lakes is cool enough for the trout to survive.

The best way to keep track of the stocking program is to periodically call the Winter Trout Hotline at (636) 300-9651.

The MDC stocks the lakes throughout the winter to keep a fresh supply of fish available.

"Art All Around Us" photo exhibit

The "Art All Around Us" photo exhibit can be viewed at the Scott Joplin House on Saturday, Nov. 3. Hours are from 3-5 p.m.

The exhibit features photographs of landscape and nature. Fourteen youth from the city's urban core served as apprentices to professional photographers during the St. Louis ArtWorks 2007 program.

The photographers worked in The Confluence area, which takes in territory in both Missouri and Illinois that encompasses the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.

Also included in the exhibit is a Freedom Quilt produced by teen mothers. They worked under the direction of famed quilter Edna Patterson-Petty.

For exhibit information, visit www.confluencegreenway.org/m-whatsnew.php.

Hike It or Bike It at Clydesdale County Park

There will be a "Hike It or Bike It" event on Saturday, Nov. 3. It will mark the completion of a 2-mile loop trail in Clydesdale County Park. The park loop connects with the Grant's Trail to give St. Louisans more opportunity for outdoor exercise.

For info call (314) 416-9930 or visit www.co.st-louis.mo.us/parks.

 

Laclede Quartet

Laclede Quartet Kids Concert applications

The application forms for the 2008 Laclede Quartet Kids Concert competition are available now. The deadline for seeking auditions is Feb. 18, 2008.

For information, call (636) 379-8216 or e-mail at Lqviolin2@charter.net. Also, you can check the Quartet's website at www.lacledequartet.org.

Winning soloists and groups will perform at a March 16. 2008, concert. The concert will be recorded for broadcast on KFUO-FM Classic 99's "Classic Kids" program.