OCT. 5

Battle of the Beers and Vine Off

Thursday, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Great Rivers Tap and Grill, 3559 B College Ave., Alton

Free

Taste and vote for your favorite beer and wine at the only Battle of the Beers and Vine Off. For more information, call (618) 462-1220.

 

 

OCT. 6

 

Chili Chase & Kids Pepper Dash

Saturday, 9-10:30 a.m.

217 E. A Street, Belleville

$30; Kids’ Pepper Dash $5

The Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce hosts the 5th annual race that provides funds for the Leadership Belleville Scholarship fund. For more information, call (618) 233-2015.

 

Pere Marquette Educational Fishing Pond Dedication

Friday, 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.

Pere Marquette Lodge, 13653 Lodge Blvd., Grafton

Free

Help celebrate the completion of the new fishing pond which will be used at the Fishing Fair in June as well as for other park interpretive programs. For more information, call (618) 786-2331.

 

Laugh for Life

Friday, 7-9 p.m.

Cornerstone Church, 196 S. Moreland Rd., Bethalto

$15

Options Now Thrive, the non-profit Christ-centered medical pregnancy center will hold the first Laugh for Life Clean Comedy show. For more information, call (618) 377-7625.

 

St. Mary’s Oktoberfest

Friday, begins at 6 p.m.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 519 E. 4th St., Alton

Free

Event includes polkas, German food, live music, and activities for the kids. For more information, call (618) 465-4284.

 

OCT. 6-7

 

Belleville Chili Cook-Off

Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

Downtown Belleville

Free

More than 60 vendors will be selling bowls of chili, as well as desserts, and kabobs. Event includes live entertainment and the Jr. Idol singing contest. For more information, call (618) 233-2015.

 

St. Alphonsus Rummage Sale

Fri., 3-7 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-noon

920 N. Main St., Brighton

$1 admission on Friday; free on Saturday

For more information, call (618) 372-3352.

 

OCT. 7

 

Native American in Concert at SIUE

Saturday, 7:30-9:30 pm.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 1 Hairpin Dr.

$20

Joanne Shenandoah will perform songs of the Iroquois using a blend of traditional and contemporary instrumentation. Event sponsored by the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability and SIUE’s College of Arts and Sciences Native American Studies Program. For more information, call (618) 650-5044.

 

Troy Citywide Garage Sale and Pumpkin Festival

Saturday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

Troy and Tri-Township Park, 410 Wickliffe St.

Free

Shop for treasures, then come to the park from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for the fall festival sponsored by the Troy Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call (618) 667-8769.

 

Ride for Wishes

Saturday, 10-11:30 a.m.

Moose Lodge of Alton, 526 E. Delmar Ave., Godfrey

$30

Participants will ride along a 70-mile route through the countryside. Proceeds will benefit Make a Wish. The ride will be escorted by Illinois State Police. For more information, call (618) 462-0315.

 

Cemetery Walk Features the Years 1880-1920

Saturday & Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

$15 adults; $10 students

City Cemetery, 5th and Vine, Alton

Authentically dressed actors from Vintage Voices will present vignettes that will depict some of those who died in 1880-1920. Last tour leaves at 2:45 p.m. For more information, call (618) 462-3205.

 

Great Rivers Choral Society Concert

Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Holy Angels Catholic Church, 345 W. Action Ave., Wood River

Free will offering will be taken

Dr. Ronald Abraham will direct a concert of a mixture of pop arrangements as well as more traditional choral music celebrating the seasons of life. For more information, call (618) 254-0679.

 

Willoughby Fall Farm Day

Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

631 Willoughby Lane, Collinsville

$2; children 3 and under free

Hayrides, live bluegrass music, vintage farm tools and kids’ activities. For more information, visit willoughbyfarm.org.

 

Pontoon Beach Fall Festival

Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Dalton Veterans Park, 5111 State Rte. 111

Free

First annual event features pumpkin carving, live music by “The Vault,” vendor foods, fire truck display, and a balloon Glow at dusk. For more information, call (618) 931-6100.

 

Collinsville Food Truck Festival

Saturday, 2-10 p.m.

Woodland Park, Pine Lake Road

Free

Hosted by Jack Schmitt Ford Lincoln. For more information, call (618) 234-1166.

 

Great Artist Guitar Concert Features Xavier Jara

Saturday, 8-10 p.m.

The Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Rd., St. Louis, Mo.

$28

Born in Arlington, Minnesota of an American mother and Chilean father, Xavier Jara studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in the class of Olivier Chassain. For more information, call (314) 567-5566.

 

A Grave History of Death

Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon

St. Clair County Historical Society, 701 E. Washington St., Belleville

Free

Come to the Victorian Home Museum to see how people in the past viewed the end of life. For more information, call (618) 234-0600.

 

Alton Haunted History Bus Tour

Saturday, 8 p.m.

First Unitarian Church, 110 E. 3rd St., Alton

$40

Three-hour coach tour of sites reported to be haunted in the book Haunted Alton by Troy Taylor. For more information, call (217) 917-7859.

 

Bike Drive at Cahokia Mounds

Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon

30 Ramey Street, Collinsville

Free

The Earn-A-Bike Program is a great resource where children are taught the basics about bicycle safety and maintenance as a means to build community awareness and personal responsibility. Kids graduating from the program earn a bike, helmet, light and lock. Donate your used bicycle and bicycle-related accessories. For more information, call (618) 344-7316.

 

Kozy Cafe Baking Contest Benefits Food Pantry

Saturday, 6-8:30 p.m.

St. John Evangelical United Church of Christ, 307 W. Clay St., Collinsville

$6

Event features contests for best pies, cakes, and cookies and is coordinated by the Collinsville Junior Service Club. The Collinsville Food Pantry benefits. Preregistration required. For more information, call (618) 346-1861.

 

OCT. 7-8

 

Pumpkin Jamboree at Eckert’s

Sat. & Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

20995 Eckert Orchard Rd., Grafton

Free

Ride the wagons out to the pumpkin patch to your great pumpkin. Event includes music, pony rides and festival foods. For more information, call (618) 786-3445.

 

OCT. 8

 

Oktoberfest in Maeysville

Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Vici’s Front Porch and Tea Garden, 1109 Mill St.

Free

Browse more than 50 artisans, crafters, dealers, village specialty shops, and food stands. For more information, call (618) 458-6660.

 

Shuffle, Tremor and Roll Car Cruise

Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Riverfront Park, Alton

$25

Time Machines Unlimited is hosting a car cruise to raise money for Parkinson’s research. The 100-mile cruise travel will up the Great River Road through Grafton, into Jersey County and then back to the Bluff City Bar and Grill in Alton. For more information, call (618) 792-8901.

 

Youth Group Chicken Dinner in Edwardsville

Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Edwardsville Moose Lodge, 7371 Marine Rd.

$9 adults; $4 children

Emmanuel Youth Group will host an all-you-can-eat chicken dinner. For more information, call (618) 656-5051.

 

Alton Historic House Tour

Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

Downtown Alton

$12

Take a self-guided tour of 5 historic homes, buildings and churches of Alton. For more information, call (618) 463-5761.

–Metro East Calendar of Events–