Hundreds of costumed children gathered Thursday night at St. Louis Fire Department headquarters in north St. Louis for the department’s pre-Halloween festival. The eighth annual event featured face painting, balloon art, games, a corn maze, and free food and ice cream, according to FOX 2; KSDK also reported the large turnout.
The gathering continues a documented run of fall events at the headquarters. FOX 2 reported that the department held its seventh annual Fall Safety Falloween Festival there on Oct. 22, 2023, combining games with safety information for parents. That earlier event establishes a recent precedent, but does not by itself show when the tradition began.
A festival alongside year-round safety education
The Halloween event’s safety reminders fit within a broader set of public services described by the St. Louis Fire Department. The department says it offers fire-safety and emergency-medical-services presentations, installs free smoke alarms, provides home fire-safety surveys, and helps residents plan escape routes.
At this year’s festival, firefighter Jeffrey Hayes advised families to go trick-or-treating in groups, keep children close, and make sure they remain visible, according to FOX 2’s report. The department’s public-education page describes its wider programs, but does not establish whether those services were offered at the festival.
