Area autumn celebrations range from the wholesome to the spooky

Southeast Missouri is a great place to discover this time of the year -- crisp and cool air, an array of autumn colors and a range of enjoyable and interesting activities. Whether you're looking for family fun, a spook or all things pumpkin, here's a glance at some local fall festivities. So grab a light jacket and head out and enjoy autumn while it's here. Check semoevents.com for additional events.

* Dexter Fall Fest

The Historic Downtown Dexter Association hosts a selection of crafters, contests and food at Saturday's annual celebration, which features live music as well as competitions ranging from pie eating to pumpkin decorating. Dexter, Missouri, is about 55 miles southwest of Cape Girardeau on U.S. 60.

* Old Appleton Fall Festival

Family-friendly event with live music, food, craft fair with more than 20 vendors and more. Free to the public; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Old Appleton is about 25 miles north of Cape Girardeau on U.S. 61.

The Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town, 2728 County Road 638, is seen Oct. 19 near Oriole, Missouri. (Southeast Missourian file)

* Saxon Lutheran Memorial Fall Festival

The festival features demonstrations from the 1800s on blacksmithing, apple-butter cooking, quilting, butchering, cross-cut sawing, shingle making, spinning, horse and buggy rides, cider pressing, broom-making, cooking soap and backing. There will be a Schnitzelbank skit, musical entertainment, attendance prizes, handmade crafts, food, guest speakers and a silent auction. Admission and parking are free; freewill donations will be accepted. The event is sponsored by Thrivent Financial with matching funds. The memorial is at 296 Saxon Memorial Drive in Frohna, Missouri.

* Downtown Sikeston Cotton Festival

Held at Legion Square, Saturday's festival features arts and crafts, concessions, live music, children's activities, pony rides, petting zoo, cake walks, contests, antique tractor show and more.

* Second annual Jackson Oktoberfest

This event will be from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday in Uptown Jackson. It's presented by Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization. The city is celebrating its bicentennial as well. There will be authentic German food, live music, biergarten, a firetruck rally and family fun.

* Déjà Vu Spirit Reunion

Guests tour Memorial Cemetery in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, by lantern light and hear talks from the spirits buried there, including French pioneers and Native Americans dating to 1787.

* Halloween storytelling

Halloween storytelling will take place at 7 p.m. Oct. 17 at Bollinger Mill State Historic Site. This free event is sponsored by Missouri State Parks, and the featured storyteller is Marilyn Kinsella. Also, a guided hike to the Bollinger family cemetery to learn about the Bollinger family and 19th-century burial traditions will be Oct. 25 at Bollinger Mill. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing.

* Haunted downtown walking tours

The walking tour in the historic downtown area with "true" ghost stories. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. The tours start at the Boardman Pavilion in the Hutson's Fine Furniture parking lot on Main Street and will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 23, 27, 28, 29 and 30. The cost is $20 per person and $30 per couple. Call 986-6879.

* Retribution Haunted

Attraction

The Retribution is Southeast Missouri's scariest professional haunted attraction. It features a 30-minute thrill ride along with a mesmerizing 3-D experience. Come face to face with all of your fears, including chain-saw maniacs, demented clowns, bloodthirsty zombies and more. $13 per person or $25 for all-night pass; $10 for children 10 and younger. It is at 211 N. Spring St. in Cape Girardeau. The hours are 7 p.m. today and Saturday and then Oct. 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31 and Nov. 1.

* Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town

Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town, 2728 County Road 638, near Oriole, Missouri, west of Cape Girardeau, will be open for its 20th season. Some additions to the haunt have been made a reality. The ghost town is open from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Oct. 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31.

* Ghost dinner train

St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railway will hold a dinner train and cemetery walk Oct. 25. It begins with a walk in Jackson Cemetery to visit graves and encounter the ghosts of those who took part in a murder and hanging in Jackson in 1898 or 1899. It will be followed by a wine tasting on the train before it leaves the station. Dinner will be served during the ride, and ghostly additions are expected. Seating is limited. Tickets are $40 per person. The event will last approximately three hours. More information is available by calling 243-1688.

* Haunted train car

St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railway will host the haunted train car from 7 to 11 p.m. each Friday and Saturday in October. The cost is $5 per person.

* Fall Full of Fun Fest

Lazy L Safari fall activities include a pumpkin patch, rope maze, kiddie corral, giant tarantula and down-on-the-farm activities. In addition to the usual alligators to zebras, parakeet jungle and other zoo animals, there will be a range of fall festivities. The festival will run through Nov. 2. The zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

* Beggs Orchard

Beggs Orchard in Jackson will have an apple orchard and pumpkin patch, old-fashioned wagon rides, mazes, goat petting, hayrides, bonfires, wiener roasts, tours and other season events. Activities take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day in October.

* Moonlight Madness

The Perryville Area Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Moonlight Madness from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23. Businesses will be set up to greet trick-or-treaters at the Perry Park Center parking lot. In years past, the event was held on the square in Perryville. Along with trunk-or-treating, there will be a costume contest, pet costume contest and pumpkin-decorating contest. A full schedule of events is at perryvillemo.com.

Pertinent address:

Dexter, MO

Old Appleton, MO

296 Saxon Memorial Drive, Frohna, MO

Legion Square, Sikeston, MO

Memorial Cemetery, Ste. Genevieve, MO

Jackson, MO

43 S Main St, Cape Girardeau, MO 63703

2728 County Road 638, Oriole, MO

2763 County Road 618, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

2308 W Jackson Blvd, Jackson, MO 63755