Mark your calendar and be sure to join us for this once in a life-time moment! On Aug. 21, 2017, the Parks Department will host a total solar eclipse celebration at our As-tronomy Viewing Area at Broemmelsiek Park!

It’s anticipated that thousands of citizens from around the globe will visit the park to see this rare event, which is the first total solar eclipse to touch the United States since the one that occurred in Hawaii in the 1990s, and the first to expand coast-to-coast since 1918! Stay tuned for more information!

Park PlaceSeptember/October 2015 Edition

Many individuals, clubs, Scouting groups, businesses, corpora-tions, churches, and organizations give back to the community each year by volunteering with the St. Charles County Parks and Recre-ation Department.

Featured in the photo above is a group from Edward Jones of St. Louis. In July, they helped with a beautifica-tion project in the Agriculture Education Area at Broem-melsiek Park. The area in the park is fairly new and is in constant need of volunteers year ‘round.

The department also had nearly 150 volun-teers from Lutheran High School in St. Peters assist with a large mulching project in August at Broemmelsiek Park. To kick off the new school year, the students worked for three hours in the park as part of

their freshman retreat and BBQ. The volunteer opportu-nity gave the new high school students a chance to get to know each other outside of the classroom.

Even members from a new church in St. Pe-ters gave back this sum-mer by cleaning up flood debris along the bank of the Mississippi River in Hideaway Harbor Park in Portage des Sioux. Join our volunteer efforts! Be a part of a growing regional parks

system and help build a legacy for future generations. Register to become a dedicated volunteer with our department by calling (636) 949-7535. Online registra-tion coming soon at www.stccparks.org.

Beginning Sept. 18 through Nov. 15, large groups can enjoy the fun of an old-fashioned hayride without travel-ing miles from home. A tractor-pulled wagon takes guests on a 45-minute ride through tree-lined fields of the

park. Guests then gather around a glowing campfire for an hour to roast their own treats. Advanced reservations are required by contacting the St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Depart-ment at (636) 949-7535. The cost is $125 a wagon with a maximum of 20 guests 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. In addition to the group hayrides, individual families and small groups can also join in the fun of a Hayride Hoedown at Broemmelsiek Park on Saturday, Oct. 17 for only $10.50 per person. The program fea-tures a light dinner, s’mores, live entertainment and a hayride! Reservations are required and can be made online at www.stccparks.org or by calling us.

Citizens Give Back

Experience Fall Hayrides

2017 Watch Party Planned

On Saturday, Sept. 20, experience an ad-venture hiking through Indian Camp Creek Park near Wentzville, exploring the vast natural-surface trails and learning about the rich history of the land. Guests begin the park

hike by touring the historic family cemetery at 1:30 p.m. to learn about the families who once owned the 603-acre parkland. After the tour, guests will be led on a two to three-mile guided hike through the park. Register for the hiking series online at www.stccparks.org or call the Parks Department at (636) 949-7535. Additional hikes are scheduled Oct. 18 at Klondike Park in Augusta and Nov. 15 at Bangert Island in St. Charles.

Hiking Series Continues Support local animal shelters by participating in the County’s largest off-leash dog festival of the year! The St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Department is celebrating its annual Paws in the Park program on Saturday,

Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at Broemmelsiek Park. Pet lovers from across the region are invited to attend this fun, free dog event that’s packed with contests, prizes, sponsor giveaways, and K-9 and obedience skills demonstrations. Admission is free with a dog food/pet supply donation at the gate. Pet donations benefit the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center and Five Acres Animal Shelter. All ages welcome to attend!

Enjoy exciting demonstrations from Infinite Pawsibilities Training at 10 a.m., St. Charles County Police K-9’s at 11 a.m., Canine Search and Rescue Association at 12 p.m. and Gateway Dockdogs at 1 p.m. 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. If you’re looking to adopt a new pet, the St. Charles County Pet Adoption Center will also have a booth with several animals available for adoption at the event. There will be snow cones, brats, beef hot dogs, veggie dogs, chips, and a variety of drinks available for pet owners and their furry friends to purchase throughout the day. Westinn Kennels will be offering free nail trims to dogs in need and participating businesses will be giving away product samples and more at their exhibit tables. Renewal by Andersen is a Park Legacy Sponsor for the event; Royal Canin is the Corporate Sponsor; and Yuppy Puppy Pet Spa, Crossroads Veterinary Hospital, Baue Pet Services, Sebastien’s Pet Salon, At Peace Pets, Lady Bug Snow Cones and Westinn Kennels are Event Sponsors. If you would like to volunteer or register your business as a vendor for the event, contact us at (636) 949-7535. Registration deadline for exhibitors is September 4.

Let’s Celebrate Dogs

Enjoy Music and Food If you missed the last Music and Food Truck Night at the St. Charles County Heritage Mu-seum in St. Peters, then don’t forget to make plans to join the Parks Department for another round of good food, live entertainment, and

community fun from 5 - 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26! Bring the family out for some tasty cuisine provided by popular food truck vendors and an evening of live entertainment. Admission is free! The Laura Green Blues Band, one of St. Louis’ premiere bands, will perform from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.,

while 2 Girls 4 Wheels, Andrew’s Bayou Ribs, Pyro Pizza, and Sarah’s Cake Shop dish out their favorites to the crowd. Picnic table seating is available, but guests may also bring collaps-ible lawn chairs to sit in. Alcohol is allowed

in the park, but no glass please. The museum will be open during the festivities. Contact us at (636) 949-7535 for more information.

Learn Mountain Biking Celebrate Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day at Broemmelsiek Park and help the St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Department pass on our passion for pedaling to children across the region. Children of all ages

are encouraged to get outside and participate in St. Charles County Parks’ annual Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Broemmelsiek Park near Wentzville on Saturday, Oct. 3. Sponsored by Gateway Off-Road Cyclists, this fun event is free and offers skills clinics, guided trail rides, safety inspections and demo bike use. Register early! The program is limited to 250 children and the first 50 receive a free gift bag to take home. The mountain bike event was created and coordinated by the International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA) and is expected to get thousands of children participating in hundreds of cycling events across the nation this year. Local businesses supporting the event will also be assisting the Parks Department with the program. For more information about the program and to pre-register, please visit us online at www.stccparks.org or contact us at (636) 949-7535.

Watch Final Flick On Saturday, Oct. 17, round up your family and friends to watch a Halloween classic movie in the park - Ghostbusters II©! This American supernatural comedy is a sequel to the original Ghostbusters© movie

that was released in 1984. “When the slime hits the wall, who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters©!” This is the final movie of the year that will be showing at the County Heritage Museum. Watch the stars perform under the stars on a giant inflatable screen, beginning at sunset. Popcorn is free, but snacks, candy, and drinks will be available for purchase during the show. Moviegoers should bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. No glass please. For more information, call us at (636) 949-7535 or visit our Park Calendar of Events online at www.stccparks.org.

Join In Fall Fun Come out to Broemmelsiek Park to experience a day of live entertainment and outdoor festivities at our Fall Harvest Festival, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 10. Listen to live music, take a scenic

hayride through the park, learn how to make a batch of good old-fashioned apple butter, explore a variety of crafts, witness historical demonstrations, and purchase pumpkins and other goods from participating vendors during the event. Admission is free, but there is a nominal fee for hayrides. The Wentzville VFW will also be selling traditional BBQ at the event. Renewal by Andersen is a proud Park Legacy Sponsor of this event. For more information about the Fall Harvest Festival, contact us at (636) 949-7535.

Explore YAP Haunted House Creepy creatures lurk around every corner at this year’s Night of Fright Haunted House in Dardenne Prairie! Nestled inside the recreation facility of St. Charles County’s Youth Activity Park (YAP), this scary place

takes you through a maze of haunted rooms filled with frightful scenes and “live ghouls!” Open from dusk to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, this house of horror is designed to entertain children and adults. Admission to the haunted attraction is $5. Be advised that some crawling is required through the haunted house as well as the use of strobe lights and fog machines. After going through the haunted house and for an additional $3 fee, anyone with a skateboard, bike, or scooter can stay at the park to use the 33,000-square foot state-of-the-art concrete skate/bike course with competitive bowls, rails, and ramps. An activity waiver must be completed and signed by parents for guests that want to stay and use the skate park. Helmets are also required. For details about the haunted house or more info about the Youth Activity Park, call (636) 561-4964.