FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 25, 2017
Contact: Nancy Lee Gomer, Marketing Coordinator, 636-949-7535, or 636-795-1137, ngomer@sccmo.org
Fall into fun with a visit to one of your St. Charles County Parks during the month of September! Whether you choose to learn the basics of campfire building, enjoy free concerts in the park, or bring your furry friend to the park to compete in fun contests, you’re sure to have a memorable time!
The Parks Department offers a variety of programs and activities for all ages and interests.
Join us for these upcoming events in September:
- Bring the family out for our Friday Night Public Stargazing at Broemmelsiek Park near Defiance and discover constellations and stars through complex telescopes. The Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri (ASEM) hosts these educational stargazing programs at our Astronomy Viewing Area in the park. For more information, visit www.asemonline.org or call the Parks Department at 636-949-7535.
- Grab your bike, a light and hit the trails at night! Join Gateway Off-Road Cyclists (GORC) and St. Louis Area Mountain Bikers (SLAMB) for free Friday Night Mountain Bike Rides in our parks. There are three rides to choose from during the month of September: 8 p.m., Sept. 1 at Broemmelsiek Park near Wentzville; 7:30 p.m., Sept. 15 at Matson Hill Park near Defiance; and 7:30 p.m., Sept. 29 at Indian Camp Creek Park. Riders must wear a helmet and have a 600 lumen light to experience park trails after hours. Register online at www.stccparks.org.
- Want to learn how to ride a skateboard, scooter or BMX bike, or take your current skills to the next level? Register for introductory lessons, skills clinics or private lessons at the Youth Activity Park in Dardenne Prairie. Each class meets 45 minutes per week for three weeks and is taught by a skilled instructor on our state-of-the-art 33,000-square foot course. Scooter lessons are Sept. 5 – 19, skateboard lessons are Sept. 6 – 20 and bike lessons are Sept. 7 – 21. The cost of each three-week session is $35. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Call the park at 636-561-4964 for more information.
- Little explorers in preschool learn through the lens of nature! Bring your adventurous tots to Broemmselsiek Park near Wentzville from 10 – 11 a.m., the first Thursday of the month, for a short hike, fun activities, story time and snack. Experience a different theme each session. The fee is $3 per child and pre-registration is required. To register, call the Parks Department at 636-949-7535 or visit www.stccparks.org. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Music lovers everywhere, join us for free fun this fall during our new Concerts in the Park series at the Youth Activity Park in Dardenne Prairie. Enjoy “Memories of Elvis” with Steve Davis from 6 -7:30 pm., Wednesday, September 6; Scott Laytham and Karl Holmes Duo from 6-8:30 p.m., Sept. 20 and Anita Rosamond Duo from 6-8:30 p.m., Oct. 4. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair and relax with the tunes of some very talented musicians. Picnic baskets are welcome, however, no alcohol or glass containers are allowed into the park. A concession stand is open during the concerts. For more information, call the park at 636-561-4964.
- Compete for cash and prizes at the annual Disc Golf Glow Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Quail Ridge Park near Wentzville. This exciting disc-tossing tournament offers a mix of short and long holes that travel in and out of the woods. Baskets lined with glow sticks mark the course of this 18-hole event. On-site registration on the day of the event is from 6:30 – 7:15 p.m. The tournament is limited to the first 72 players. A limited amount of LED lights are available to purchase at the event. Cost of the program is $10 per person. For more information, call the Parks Department at 636-949-7535.
- Help us pass on our passion for cycling on to children across the region by taking part in Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 9 at Broemmelsiek Park near Wentzville. The program is hosted by the St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Department and Gateway Off-Road Cyclists. Children of all ages are encouraged to participate in this free event that features bike skills clinics, guided trail rides, safety inspections and giveaways. A limited supply of demo bikes are available for use that day. For more information about the program and to pre-register, call the Parks Department at 636-949-7535. The first 250 children get a free goodie bag!
- Discover all things monarch and celebrate their amazing lives at Monarch Madness, from
10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Weldon Spring Site in St. Charles. The event is free and open to all! Enjoy kids’ crafts, games, exhibitors, native garden demonstrations, butterfly tagging, food trucks, music, and more. You can even purchase native plants and collect free seeds in ready-to-plant packages to grow monarch-sustaining plants at your home. The event is hosted by the St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Department; the Weldon Spring Site, which is managed by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management (LM); Missourians for Monarchs; Missouri Department of Conservation; Missouri Master Naturalists; Missouri Master Gardeners; and Great Rivers Greenway. Call the Weldon Spring Site at 636-300-2601 for more information. - Experience an adventure hiking through Matson Hill Park on Saturday, Sept. 10, exploring the vast natural-surface trails as we look for signs of wildlife and identify local flora. Hiking distances range from two to five miles and are set at a casual pace. The hike begins at 1:30 p.m. There are only two hikes left for the year; participate in two for the season and you’ll receive a commemorative park gift! Pre-register at www.stccparks.org or call 636-949-7535.
- The Youth Activity Park in Dardenne Prairie stays open until midnight, Friday, Sept. 15! Skate, ride, rock climb, or play into the night! For more information about our Late Skate and Ride event, visit www.stccparks.org or call the park at 636-561-4964.
- Support local animal shelters by participating in the County's largest off-leash dog festival from
10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sept. 16 at Broemmelsiek Park near Defiance! Pet lovers from across the region will attend the annual Paws in the Park celebration that is packed with contests, prizes, sponsor giveaways, pet exhibitors, and K-9 and obedience skills demonstrations. Make a pet food or supply donation at the gate and receive a free doggie goodie bag! All donations benefit the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center. Enjoy exciting demonstrations from Infinite Pawsibilities Training, St. Charles County Police K-9's., Canine Search and Rescue Association, and Gateway Dockdogs! Let your furry friend compete in fun contests that begin at 10:30 a.m. Winners of the Best costume, Best Trick, Fastest Pond Ball Retrieval, Best Dog/Owner Look-Alike and Best Kisser will be awarded commemorative medals during the event. All ages welcome to attend! For more information about the program, call the Parks Department at 636-949-7535. - Watch stars perform under the stars on a giant outdoor inflatable screen at our family friendly movie nights at the St. Charles County Heritage Museum. The final movie of the season begins at sunset on Saturday, Sept. 16. Join us at 7 p.m. to watch “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Popcorn is free; soda, candy and Bahama Buck's shaved ice treats are available for purchase. While you’re there, don't forget to register to win a Bahama Buck's Paradise Party Pack! Moviegoers should bring a lawn chair or blanket. No glass bottles, please. Call the museum at 636-255-6000 for movie information.
- Whether you’re training for the MO’ Cowbell or looking to meet some fellow outdoor enthusiasts, join the Parks Department and EDC Business & Community Partners for a free training run at 7 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 17. Runs vary from one to eight miles and are on both paved and natural-surface trails. Pre-register at www.mocowbellrun.com/mo-training-team or call the St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Department at 636-949-7535 for more information.
- Ride with us on an old-fashioned hayride through Broemmelsiek Park in Defiance from
Sept. 22 – Nov. 5. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, groups of 20 may reserve a tractor-pulled hay wagon for a 45-minute ride through prairies and tree-lined fields in the park. After the ride, participants sit around a glowing campfire for an hour to roast treats. Advanced reservations are required by calling the Parks Department at 636-949-7535. The cost is $125 per wagon. Hayrides may be reserved for 6, 7, and 8 p.m. on Fridays and 5, 6, 7, and 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Call the Parks Department at 636-949-7535 to reserve a hay wagon.
- Learn the basics of campfire building with St. Charles County Park Rangers! Join us from 2 – 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30 at Broemmelsiek Park to learn how to build the five common types of campfires used today. At the end of the program compete for prizes by testing your skills with a round of campfire building contests with prizes. All ages are welcome, but children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Cost of the program is $1 per person. To register, visit www.stccparks.org or call
636-949-7535.
For more information on these and other events, contact the St. Charles County Parks & Recreation Department at 636-949-7535 or visit www.stccparks.org.
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