Des Peres ended its outdoor season on October 10, when Fall Fest closed with jack-o'-lanterns floating on the pond at Des Peres Park. Every city event on the calendar from now through New Year's Eve is either held at The Lodge, 1050 Des Peres Road, or sends you there to pick something up. Two of the biggest are held in the water at the Lodge Indoor Pool.
The City of Des Peres October 2026 newsletter lays out the season. In his letter, Mayor Mark Becker wrote that "the calendar says fall, but the weather begs to differ." Whatever the weather does, the November and December schedule is planned around one heated building. Here is how it runs, in date order.
The First Indoor Event Closed Registration Before It Starts
The indoor season begins with Puzzle Palooza on Friday, November 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Lodge Meeting Rooms. Teams of four race to finish the same 500-piece puzzle in 120 minutes. Each team keeps its puzzle, and the city capped the event at 20 teams. Registration closed October 27, more than a week before the puzzles come out.
That deadline sets the pattern for the rest of the season. Nearly every event has a cap, and several close registration days or weeks before they happen.
November 13: The Pool Turns Into a Movie Theater
The Dive-In Movie on Friday, November 13, shows Sonic the Hedgehog 3, rated PG and 109 minutes long, on a screen over the Lodge Indoor Pool. The timing is worth knowing:
- Registered guests get the whole indoor pool area at 5:30 p.m. for open swim, with the waves turned off.
- Water park tubes are first come, first served, and outside flotation devices are not allowed.
- The movie starts at 6 p.m. sharp.
- The concession stand stays open until 7 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for Lodge members and Des Peres residents and $15 for nonresidents, with a maximum of 200 people. The city prefers advance registration. Any tickets left go on sale at the front desk at 5:45 p.m. on the night. If you plan to walk up, you are betting that 200 spots don't sell out on a Friday night two weeks after Halloween.
December 5: The Parking Lot Becomes the North Pole
The North Pole Express on Saturday, December 5, uses both the Lodge Meeting Rooms and the parking lot. It runs from 9 to 11 a.m. A trackless train takes families to see Santa's live reindeer. Kids can make crafts at Santa's Workshop, and Mrs. Claus reads stories about the North Pole and her reindeer. Breakfast treats, snacks and warm drinks are served throughout.
Santa is available for visits and photos only from 9 to 10:30 a.m., not for the full event. If photos are the main reason you're going, arrive early.
This is the costliest event of the season, at $25 per member or resident and $30 per nonresident. Every person attending has to register. It is capped at 250, and registration closes November 24, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. In practice, a family has to sign up for an early-December morning before the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone.
The Season at a Glance
| Event | Date and time | Where at The Lodge | Member/Resident | Nonresident | Register by | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puzzle Palooza | Fri., Nov. 6, 6–8 p.m. | Meeting Rooms | $50 per team of 4 | $60 per team of 4 | Oct. 27, closed | 20 teams |
| Dive-In Movie | Fri., Nov. 13, 6–8 p.m. | Indoor Pool | $10 | $15 | Advance preferred | 200 |
| North Pole Express | Sat., Dec. 5, 9–11 a.m. | Meeting Rooms and Parking Lot | $25 | $30 | Nov. 24 | 250 |
| Holiday Lights Contest | Voting Dec. 18–20 | Prize pickup only | Free | Not eligible | Dec. 8 | None listed |
| New Year's Eve at Noon | Thu., Dec. 31, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. | Indoor Pool | $10 | $15 | Dec. 29 | 250 |
The One Event That Leaves the Building Still Ends There
The Fourth Annual Des Peres Holiday Lights Contest is the only event on the list held outside The Lodge, in residents' own front yards. Des Peres Parks & Recreation runs it, entry is free, and only homes inside Des Peres city limits can enter. You can nominate your own house or a neighbor's. There are three categories:
- Classic Christmas, for traditional lights like the ones in the movies.
- Winter Wonderland, for snow, snowmen and winter scenes over standard Christmas icons.
- Total Griswold, which the city describes as the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation approach, bright enough to dim "power to the rest of the neighborhood."
To enter, email Emma at [email protected] with:
- the nominee's name and Des Peres address
- a photo or video of the house
- the category
- a short note on why you like to decorate
Entries are due December 8. Winners are chosen by an online community vote from December 18 to 20. Four prizes are awarded, a Grand Prize plus First Place in each category, and winners also get a yard sign.
The prize pickup rule brings the contest back to the same building as everything else. Prizes have to be collected at The Lodge Des Peres by December 31. That's the same day as the season's last event.
December 31: The Pool Counts Down to Noon
New Year's Eve at Noon closes out the year on Thursday, December 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lodge Indoor Pool. Families count down to noon, and a giant beach ball drops when the clock hits 12. The wave pool and indoor slide are open, with music, dancing and an NYE-themed photo backdrop. Every youth guest takes home a beach ball, and the Lodge Café is open for the full three hours.
Tickets cost the same as the Dive-In Movie, $10 for members and residents and $15 for nonresidents. Online preregistration is required for every person by December 29, and there are no front-desk sales. The event is capped at 250, and the city's own listing says it "will sell out."
Meanwhile, West County Center Gets a New Dinner Option
The same season brings Des Peres's most anticipated restaurant opening of the year. The Cheesecake Factory's location page lists the West County Center restaurant as "Opening 11/10." The address is 17 West County Center, Suite A101. First Alert 4 reported in September that the restaurant takes over the former McCormick & Schmick's in the restaurant area next to J. Gilbert's. Until now, the region's only other location has been at the Galleria. The company's location page still says "Coming Soon" and doesn't show hours yet.
November 10 is a Tuesday, three days before the Dive-In Movie. A November 13 dinner at the new restaurant will likely mean opening-week crowds and a long wait, so families planning dinner before the 5:30 check-in should budget extra time.
Closer to Manchester Road, two fall openings share an address. St. Louis Magazine's October restaurant roundup lists CAVA opening at 12340 Manchester Road on September 17, and Sourdough & Co. opening in Suite B of the same building on September 20. The same roundup still listed Sauci Pasta at 13323 Manchester Road as a fall opening, without a firm date.
The Lodge Calendar Also Holds Des Peres's Next Planning Conversation
The Lodge also hosts the city's planning work. The first Comprehensive Plan community workshop was held there on September 16, and Mayor Becker wrote that nearly 80 residents came to talk with staff and consultants about land use and zoning priorities. The plan will guide future land use, development and zoning decisions. It started in spring 2026 and runs through summer 2027.
Community Workshop #2 is Monday, November 30, and will focus on future planning scenarios and draft goals. The city says more details will be posted at DestinationDesPeres.com, where residents who missed September can watch a video on the planning process. It falls six days before the North Pole Express, the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend.
Here is the season in order, with the dates to save:
- November 10: The Cheesecake Factory opens at West County Center.
- November 13: Dive-In Movie. Check in at 5:30, movie at 6 sharp.
- November 24: Last day to register for the North Pole Express.
- November 30: Comprehensive Plan Workshop #2.
- December 5: North Pole Express. Santa photos end at 10:30 a.m.
- December 8: Holiday Lights Contest entries due.
- December 18–20: Online voting for the lights contest.
- December 29: Last day to preregister for New Year's Eve at Noon.
- December 31: Countdown at the pool, and the last day to pick up lights contest prizes.
At The Monschein Team, we keep up with what's on Des Peres's calendar because our neighbors do too. If you're planning a move this season and want a schedule that works around North Pole mornings and the New Year's countdown, request a complimentary home consultation and personalized market plan, and we'll build the timing around your family's December.
