Events, trails, shops, restaurants, museums. All an easy drive away. In your inbox, every Thursday.
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Greetings from the Caribbean!
This week's issue is short and sweet because I'm kicking it in Costa Rica with the caimans and coffee. But before you get jealous, I should be honest and reveal that my husband is Costa Rican, and this is a family visit. 95% of our time down here will be spent catching up around a kitchen table and not on an exotic excursion.
C'est la freaking vie.
Get Outside - The Cape Nature Center
For many Southeast Missourians, Cape Girardeau is that big sister that throws the cool parties: Live theater, live music, expos, shopping, dining, Redhawks games, art galleries, museums, a casino, historic sites, etc.
The next time you're in town for Cape's Comic Con, for example, remember that you can also get in some precious outdoor time right there in city limits (even if you're still dressed as Catwoman). Today's trail system is at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center, popularly known as the Cape Nature Center.
Trail details:
2+ miles of wide, clearly marked gravel trails and some short wooden bridges.
The trail system is made up of seven short trails that you can mix, match, and combine to your heart's content. (Map pic below)
This is a moderately difficult hike due to some steep uphill and downhill sections. You might think that just because you're in town, you won't get a workout, but nope. You gon' sweat.
If you're looking to add a few more miles, this trail system connects to the Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail.
Make sure to go inside the nature center where you can:
Browse the exhibits
Ask the naturalists your burning questions
See which birds their feeders are drawing
Say hi to the alligator snapping turtle
And pick up a ton of brochures about more MDC areas and trails
Trail map of the Cape Nature Center trail system located at the Nature Center trailhead.
Tulip Poplar Hill Trail, Oct 2026
The Western Alligator Snapping Turtle in the nature center
*This week's trails are brought to you by VisitCape, Cape Girardeau's visitor's bureau. Next time you have guests visiting and need help putting an itinerary together, contact VisitCape. It's all the local expertise at no charge.
SIGHTING: In honor of mid-term elections week - Haliaeetus leucocephalus. Spotted off Larue Road in Southern Illinois last Thursday. Did you know it can take 5 years for a bald eagle's head to turn white?
TRAVEL RADIO: This vivid, bright blue water in the middle of the Missouri woods looks beautifully out of place: Blue Spring.
ANNOUNCEMENT 2: MORE bike trails near you: Festus's new mountain bike park, Plattin Peaks Trails, had its soft opening last Sunday
Help Out & Pitch In (and eat well)
It's lunch (a warm bowl of soup) with a purpose. It's called Empty Bowls.
Here's how it works: You get soup for lunch, and your purchase helps the SEMO Food Bank feed families, children, and seniors facing hunger across 16 Southeast Missouri counties.
Stop by 4536 E. Jackson Blvd., Jackson, MO. between 10:30am to 1:30pm, TOMORROW, Friday, Nov. 6. And choose from a variety of soups from local restaurants.
I mean, you gotta eat anyway, right?
Your $15 ticket includes lunch and a commemorative bowl. Eat in or carry out. There's also a delivery option for Cape County when you buy 5 tickets or more. Get tickets.
Fight local hunger!
Want to share an upcoming event with 2,300+ Southeast Missourians looking for things to do? Read more about how to add an event to Backroad Weekly's 'This Weekend's Happenings'.
This Weekend’s Happenings
Fri, Nov 6
Felting Workshop, Cape Girardeau, MO - "Learn to create beautiful works of art using the unique process called Felting, which is also known as Painting with Wool." 9am-4pm. $15.
Cape Con, Cape Girardeau, MO - 3-8pm - Vendors, a Star Wars-themed cafe, movies, gaming, a live podcast, cosplay karaoke, jeopardy, and some Q&A with voice actors!
U.S. Grant Symposium, Cape Girardeau, MO - "An annual event which brings together scholars, historians, authors, and civil war enthusiasts to explore and discuss the life, career, and legacy of Ulysses S. Grant" Free, but seating is limited, so register in advance.
SEMO Space Week: Hunting for Planets in the Glare of Distant Stars, Cape Girardeau, MO - How do we find planets orbiting distant stars, and what does it take to see them directly? Join Dr. Samantha Hasler from the Space Telescope Science Institute in Maryland for her presentation where she answers those questions. 6-7:15pm. Free. Open to the public.
Kurt Allen Band, Cape Girardeau, MO - Gritty old-school blues. You're gonna love it.
Riverside Roses, Cape Girardeau, MO - "SEMO University's pop ensemble, Riverside Roses, will be performing live at The Bar, 8-10pm"
Book Sale, Scott City, MO - The library is making space and selling books and DVDs at "awesome prices". 1-6pm.
Night at the Museum, Harrisburg, IL - It's an after-dark living history tour through the Saline Creek Pioneer Village and Museum. Tours start from 5:30 to 8:15pm. $10 per ticket. Tours last 30-45 minutes.
Evening Owl Prowl, Makanda IL - Join an Audubon Society Member as she introduces you to some owls present in the park. After the talk, you'll hit the trails and try to see some. 5:30-7pm
Sat, Nov 7
Cape Con, Cape Girardeau, MO - It's Cape's comic convention. Voice actors, vendors, live podcasts, photo ops with your favorite guests, artists, cosplay, gaming, and more! 10am-7pm
80's Prom Night, Cape Girardeau, MO - Dress up in your best 80s outfit and head downtown for the party. Snacks, drinks, "a totally tubular photo booth", 80s jams, and 80s arcade games.
U.S. Grant Symposium, Cape Girardeau, MO - "A free two-day event exploring the life, leadership, and lasting legacy of General and 18th US President Ulysses S. Grant" Seating is limited. Must register in advance.
All-Request Piano Show, Cape Girardeau, MO - Viral local rockstar (who occasionally dresses up like a pickle), Joy Brooker, will perform all your favorite hits on the spot. Pretty cool, right?
Downtown Perryville Fall Fair, Perryville, MO - Witness the square turn into a "vibrant fall marketplace filled with shopping, food, and community fun" 9am-4pm
Hike to Honor Veterans, Winona, MO - Hike a beautiful section of the Ozark Trail, from Rocky Falls to Stegall Mountain (6 miles round trip). Starts at 10am at Rocky Falls.
Pecanapalooza Street Festival, Ste. Genevieve, MO - A fall festival celebrating everything pecan. There'll be live music, hand-made goodies, and pecan treats.
Cookie Crumb Trail, Ste. Genevieve, MO - I love "trail" events because I have a great excuse to go inside businesses I would normally walk right by. Buy a ticket and hop around the historic downtown trying cookies.
Empty Bowls, Jackson, MO - You grab a bowl of soup for lunch ($15) and you get a commemorative bowl...AND you help fight local hunger. Pretty sweet deal.
Book Sale, Scott City, MO - The library is making space and selling books and DVDs at "awesome prices". 9am-12pm.
Backyard Winter Bird Photography, Marion IL - "Program with Professional Nature Photographer Richard Day. Learn how to create and use a "bird studio" in your own backyard. Tips on how to attract birds; and recommendations for basic bird photography, etc. Call 618-997-3344 Ext 1 to register." 1-3pm.
Night at the Museum, Harrisburg, IL - "History walks will be led and narrated primarily in the dark and lit with dim candlelight style lighting. This tour is best enjoyed by history lovers of all ages and those who enjoy a good story that sometimes involves a bit of tragedy." Tours start from 5:30 to 8:15pm. $10 per ticket. Tours last 30-45 minutes.
Harrisburg Heritage Festival, Harrisburg, IL - "Shop more than 80 vendors offering handmade crafts, boutique clothing, jewelry, home décor, seasonal items, specialty foods and unique gifts." $1 entry.
Artifact ID Roadshow, Coulterville, IL - Join the Cahokia Archaeological Society for a free public archaeology event. Meet professional archaeologists and bring your local finds and collections to be identified. Everyone welcome to attend, even if you don't have an artifact. 1pm
Fort de Chartres Winter Rendezvous, Prairie du Rocher, IL - "Soldiers, trappers, and traders, and (as portrayed by historic re-enactors [1700s to 1820]) will gather at the rendezvous. They will trade goods, buy supplies, and some will take part in a shooting contest that requires them to walk through the woods and fire flintlocks at pop-up targets." 10am-5pm
Group Hike: Crest Trail, Equality, IL - A free and open-to-the-public hike guided by the River to River Trail Society. This week's hike is a two-hour drive from Cape, but it's a 4-hour excursion. So... worth it? Read the details at the link.
Sun, Nov 8
Cape Con, Cape Girardeau, MO - Gaming, games, a pet cosplay contest, Q&A with guests, photo ops, cosplay karaoke, vendors, and more! 10am-4pm
Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting, Dexter, MO - Can you believe it? Halloween isn't even cold in its creepy tomb yet. For those dying to switch gears to Christmas, head to Dexter this weekend for hot chocolate, cookies, carols, Santa, reindeer, and a tree lighting!
Horseshoe Lake Eagle Tour, Miller City, IL - "Offered only twice a year when abundance of eagles is at its greatest. Up close encounters with eagles are common as they swoop down from cypress trees and catch fish." 12pm.
Harrisburg Heritage Festival, Harrisburg, IL - "Shop more than 80 vendors offering handmade crafts, boutique clothing, jewelry, home décor, seasonal items, specialty foods and unique gifts." $1 entry.
Fort de Chartres Winter Rendezvous, Prairie du Rocher, IL - "The rendezvous is fun both for the participants demonstrating frontier life from 1700 to 1820 and for visitors spending an autumn day wandering among the tents, campfires, and a historic French colonial fort." 10am-3pm
Hike to Glacier's End, Makanda, IL - Hike to where the glacier ended and learn how it shaped Southern Illinois' landscape.
Plan Ahead - The Fun You Can't Improvise
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet, Cape Girardeau, MO - The largest Nutcracker production in North America featuring world-class international dancers, gravity-defying acrobatics, magnificent costumes, and towering puppets. $53+. Wednesday, Nov 11
Paint Night: Colorful Fall, Cape Girardeau, MO - "Follow step by step to create your colorful sky and add a tree with fall leaves that are swirling all around." 6-9pm. $10. Thursday, Nov 12.
Resting Grinch Face, Cape Girardeau, MO - As part of the Pour Decisions series hosted by SEMO Continuing Education. Create a mini seasonal painting, sip some wine or a mocktail, and enjoy a light bite. Beginners welcome. $49. 6-8:30pm. Thursday, Nov 12
Chinese Brush Painting, Cape Girardeau, MO - "Participants will learn the Four Gentlemen techniques—plum blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo." Beginners welcome! 2-day event. Nov 13 & 14
Fredericktown After Dark at the Womack Hotel, Fredericktown, MO - Take a mini tour of the historic Womack Hotel. Vendors, drinks, and finger foods. Meet some paranormal teams. $25 per person. 6-10pm. Nov 14.
Tunnel Hill 100/50, Vienna IL - Maybe you're not an ultrarunner but you're fascinated by the women and men of steel who run ultras, and you want to volunteer to witness the spectacle. This race, right across the bridge from us, is the home of 5 world records! Nov 14
Finding Your Civil War Ancestors, Bloomfield, MO - "Have a name, a photo, or a family story? Learn how to trace your ancestors' Civil War service." 10am-2pm. Register by Nov 1. $20. Bring a laptop. Saturday, Nov 14
Hoaxes, Humbugs & Historical Scams, Cape Girardeau, MO - As part of the Weird Wednesdays after dark series, hear about some of the most spectacular frauds, cons, and hoaxes. Hosted by SEMO's Continuing Education. $25. Wednesday, Nov 18
Nature & Health: Wild Salves - Learn how easy it is to make topical salves from Missouri's native plants. Thursday, Nov 19. Only 3 spots left as of this morning when this publishes. 6-7pm
The Meandering Turkey, Jackson, MO - ~5.5 miles of hilly, rooty single track. $45 if you sign up before Oct. 31. Limited to 100 runners and fills up fast! Nov 22. 1:30pm.
The Frozen Chosin Challenge, Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park - I'm going to quote Terrain Magazine's description of this one, "The Challenge consists of 3 events: A 3-day, 40-mile ruck; a 2-day, 17-mile hike; or a family-friendly 4-mile course." This endurance event honors Korean War veterans and today's service members. December 4-6.
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.