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🎙️“Well, hello out there, Southeast Missouri! I’m your host, Casey Kasem, counting down the hits, the hikes, and the haunts from the Bootheel to the Ozarks. Whether you’re tuning in from your front porch, your pickup, or a patio, keep reachin’ for the stars… literally...because this week’s lineup starts with a Dark Sky Festival!”🎙️

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Get Outside

Read this in your best old lady voice: "When I was a child, you could see thousands of stars at night." It's a shame that we now have to travel to legit stargaze. But when life gives you lemons, hit the road.

Did you know Big Spring in Van Buren, Missouri, features "some of the darkest night skies in Missouri"?

If you're not convinced you want to drive 2 hours to "just" marvel at the celestial souls of Simba's ancestors (while you still can), don't forget that there is A LOT to do at this sweet little spot along the skirts of the Ozarks: hiking, birdwatching, fishing, floating, sightseeing, etc.

This weekend, Dark Sky Missouri is hosting its annual Dark Sky Festival in this very spot. Keep an eye on the weather before you head over. Cloudy = the show goes on starless. Rainy = Consider the party plug pulled.

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Night at the Boo-seum

Source: Summarized from Joel P. Rhodes' book, “Haunted Cape Girardeau: Where the River Turns a Thousand Chilling Tales”*

The building on Independence Street that now hosts the Cape Girardeau Heritage Museum was built in 1908. Since 1908, it's been a city hall, fire department, police station, jail, and community theater. Legend says the cellar pre-dates the building, and it was used by Union forces as a prison for captured Confederate soldiers.

For the last 44 years, since the museum moved in (1981), staff have reported footfall on a phantom staircase, knocking on the walls, disembodied noises, rancid odors, the eerie feeling of being watched, and doors opening and closing on their own, some of which were locked.

Is this a sneaky way of getting the paranormal-curious to support a local museum? Maybe... Is it working?

*If you buy a copy of "Haunted Cape Girardeau: Where the River Turns a Thousand Chilling Tales" through the Barnes & Noble link, Backroad Weekly may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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Worth a Visit*

You can be from 'round these parts and still take advantage of your local visitors' centers. Crazy concept, I know. Join the out-of-towners in tapping into one of our best resources. Thought I'd "just pop in" at VisitCape, but walked out with 23 brochures, 2 maps, a flyer, and a t-shirt. When it comes to Cape-y G, you can think you've seen and done it all, but you'll always be wrong.

Drop in for personalized recommendations, print guides, and questionably affordable merch. (How are the t-shirts $12? And the postcards are cheaper than stamps?! Nobody has told them about inflation.)

Their website is also a secret weapon. When someone asks for restaurant recommendations and your brain shuts down under the crushing pressure, their Food & Drink Directory is a lifesaver. I use their events calendar for Backroad Weekly. How else would I know the Riverfront Fall Festival is on the 25th?

Find VisitCape on Facebook & Instagram.

*This is sponsored content. It's also an honest testimonial based on my experience.

Want to sponsor the next two newsletters? Do you have a local business? If yes and yes, contact me at hi@backroadweekly.com.

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Try This

Your martini-on-the-patio days are numbered, Mr. Bond. Not because of anything sinister, just because winter is waiting to suck the outdoor-dining joy from our lives.

Patio addicts, this is your reminder that T-Ravs in Jackson, MO, has the experience that crisp fall weather makes you crave. The fact that the food and service are great is a bonus.

Unrelated but interesting: T-Ravs also takes event reservations. Who knew?

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Help Out & Pitch In

Riverfront Clean Up, Cape Girardeau, MO - Help keep the Big Muddy clean by participating in a litter pickup. This is a great way to lose your faith in humanity AND regain it, all in one day. What a ride! Registration is now open. Only 30 spaces available, so register at the link. Saturday, Nov 8, 2-3pm. Free gloves, T-shirts, snacks, and drinks provided.

OR

No time to offer? There's nothing wrong with helping your community through a time-honored classic: a monetary donation. Cape's Foster Adopt Connect is always accepting donations. You can also get in touch with them at the link to become a birthday sponsor, which means you purchase a birthday present for a child in foster care.

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For each event, you’ll find more info at the link.​
​*Because these events are upcoming, they have not been vetted. That would require a time machine, and we don't have the funds. Party at your own discretion.

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This Weekend’s Happenings

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Fri, Oct 17

Music on the Square, Fredericktown, MO - Take a lawn chair and catch some tunes.

Arcadia Valley Mountain Music Festival, Ironton, MO - Like a bluegrass Woodstock, but with more banjos and fewer questionable decisions. Free admission. Family-friendly. Tunes, food, crafts, and fiddle battles.

Dark Sky Festival, Big Spring near Van Buren, MO - Join rangers and members of DarkSky Missouri at "one of the darkest locations in the Midwest".

Haunted Speakeasy, Cape Girardeau, MO - "Step inside The Glenn House for eerie jazz, ghost stories, tarot readings, and spirits of both kinds." Get it? Boos and booze. 7-10pm. 21+ only. "Costumes and 1920s flair encouraged." If you got it, flap it.

The Pumpkin Glow, Carbondale, IL - Over 800 Jack-o-lanterns light your way down a wooded path. One of Carbondale’s favorite Halloween traditions. From 5:30-9:30pm at the Oakland Nature Preserve. $7-donation per adult appreciated.

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Sat, Oct 18

Keep an eye on the weather, and check your events' pages for any cancellation or postponement updates

Movies in the Park, Fredericktown, MO - Paint your face like a sugar skull, grab your lawn chair, brush up on your high school español, and wrap up in a blanket for this outdoor showing of Disney Pixar's Coco.

Jase Murphy Benefit SxS Ride, Bonne Terre, MO - Ride a new route, meet some people, and contribute to a good cause. You might make a new friend who introduces you to all the best places to ride.

SxS Benefit Ride & Fall Fest, New Hamburg, MO - Registration at 11, ride starts at 12. $10 per rider. After the ride, there will be live music, drinks, and a pulled pork dinner. Ain't no party like a pulled pork party, 'cause a pulled pork party don't stop.

Oktoberfest at Annie Laurie's, Cape Girardeau, MO - Can you think of a cooler place to watch the SEMO homecoming parade! It's your favorite Cape beer (Minglewood Brewery) and your favorite Cape sandwiches (Relish Sandwich Bar), with extra vintage vendors set up out back.

SEMO Homecoming Parade, Cape Girardeau, MO - You'll want to make it to Broadway early to find a prime parade-watching spot. This is a serious snooze-and-lose situation. Parade starts marchin' at 9:30am.

Voices of the Past: Downtown Cemetery Tour, Farmington, MO - "Visitors tour the jail museum, then board an old-fashioned hayride to the Cayce, Masonic, and Old Calvary Cemeteries for stories of the deceased. Tours start every fifteen minutes 4:30-7:30pm, and take ~1 hour to complete. This FREE event is one-night only. First-come, first-served."

Dark Sky Festival, Big Spring near Van Buren, MO - Saturday includes a nature/bird walk with naturalists from the MDC and Audubon Society; free time to float, fish, hike, and explore; booths to browse; speakers/presenters; and a formal “Star Party” with an introduction to stars/constellations. Will be cancelled if there's rain!

Dan Ladd Comedy Hypnosis Show, Perryville, MO - "This one-of-a-kind event blends humor, audience participation, and mind-bending hypnosis." $60 per person.

Coffee Tasting, Sikeston, MO - Ever wonder what it's like to be a coffee connoisseur? Malone Park Center for the Arts wants to teach you how to "sample and savor the distinct characteristics in each roast level." $30 per person.

Arcadia Valley Mountain Music Festival, Ironton, MO - Two days of toe-tappin’, banjo-pickin’, small-town magic. Bring your lawn chair, your appetite, and your inner hillbilly poet...the charming one.

Fort Massac Encampment, Metropolis, IL - Cannons booming, campfires crackling, people trading trinkets in full frontier fashion. Set along the banks of the Ohio River in the fall. SWOON. Free admission. Lots of parking.

Haunted Corn Maze, Marion, IL - Like Disney Land! But for those who are fans of Children of the Corn instead of Mickey Mouse. There will also be a "burning of the pumpkins" (whatever that is). $16. 7-10pm. Two days only (Oct 18 & 25). 50% of the proceeds go to the Marion High School FFA.

The Great Carbondale Pumpkin Race, Carbondale, IL - People put wheels on pumpkins and then race them. And you can go watch this Saturday at 2pm. Cheaters get the mallet of justice.

Guided Group Hike with River to River Trail Society, Grassy Precinct, IL - Hike the Wild Turkey Trail in Illinois' Williamson County with the River to River Trail Society. Free and open to the public. A moderate ~4.6 miles and 3-4 hours hiking time.

The Pumpkin Glow, Carbondale, IL - Oakland Nature Preserve will be lined with over 800 glowing jack-o-lanterns. The word "magical" gets thrown around a lot. And this time I agree: "A magical walk through the woods." Nothing haunted. No jump scares. Just pretty. 5:30–9:30pm | $7 suggested donation per adult.

Vulture Fest, Makanda, IL - Celebrating vultures and having some fun. Get ready for live music, local food trucks, and local artists selling the goods. I'm happy to see vultures getting the glow-up they deserve. A whole festival? Nice.

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Sun, Oct 19

Fall Fest at Sawyer's Landing, Fredericktown, MO - 3-7pm, free, family-friendly fall celebration with music, activities, and games. This would be a fun activity to stack with something scenic in the area, like the Amidon Memorial Conservation Area or Millstream Gardens Conservation Area.

Fort Massac Encampment, Metropolis, IL - It's as if somebody said, "Give me a Renaissance fair, but make it 1700s explorers, traders, settlers, and soldiers."

Haunted Hollow, Makanda, IL - Another Halloween-themed fall festival, right across the bridge!

Vulture Fest, Makanda, IL - Vultures, music, and art collide.

Autism Awareness Ride, Crab Orchard, IL - ATVs and UTVs hit the trails at Little Egypt Off Road for a good cause. 1–4 PM. This is a family-friendly ride featuring sensory-friendly zones, adaptive games, and group activities. All proceeds benefit the Autism Society of Southern Illinois.

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Want your business's event in Backroad Weekly? Click here.

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Plan Ahead: The Fun You Can't Improvise

Boos on Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO - Another haunted walking tour of Cape for you, my lovelies, but this time down Broadway, Cape's most haunted stretch. Wednesday 22 & 29, 6:30-8:30pm. For more info and to reserve a spot, contact Christy Mershon.

​Grown-up Book Fair, Cape Girardeau, MO - R U going 2 go? Circle yes or no. There are still tickets available for Fri, Oct 24.

​Guided Group Hike to Hawn State Park, leaving from Cape Girardeau, MO - The MDC is taking hikers to Hawn State Park on Nov. 1. Depart from the Cape Nature Center (transportation included) for a 6.5-mile trek through rocky hills, clear creeks, and some of Missouri’s prettiest scenery.

Tunnel Hill 10-Miler, Vienna, IL - This 10-mile run is nationally-ranked by Runner's World, and it's right here in your backyard! Nov 1.

​Holy Roller Gravel Grinder, Brazeau, MO - Pedal Perry County gravel for a purpose! Try to say that 5 times, fast. Ride 17, 35, or 70 miles. Proceeds support families facing congenital heart defects. Smooth gravel and rolling hills followed by a winery. Race day: Nov 8.

Meandering Turkey, Jackson, MO - ~5.5 mile trail run on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 1:30pm. Hilly, rooty, single-track fun.

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*With so much going on, we can’t include everything. We hand-select picks that match the mission, and include events from all over the area to encourage you to explore towns you don’t usually visit. If you’re looking for more in Cape or Carbondale, here are some more sources: The Southeast Missourian, the Missouri Department of Conservation, VisitCape, Downtown Cape, The Scout, KFVS12, Southern Illinois Tourism, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Southernmostillinois.com.

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If you're new to this newsletter, last week, we sent out a big fat list of Halloween fun. You're gonna have to scroll for it, but it's in there.

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WORD SCRAMBLE ANSWER: GRAVEYARD

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🎵🎶Come and give your love🎶🎵

If you want to help this new local business, an easy way to support our mission is to follow us on social media. Knight us with the sacred follow button.

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Welp, (*slaps knees), we better get goin'. Thanks again to this week's sponsor, VisitCape.

Catch you down the road.

Caitlan Hester
Publisher, Backroad Weekly