The Best Halloween Party in St. Louis is at the Haunted Lemp Mansion

The mansion and the Lemp Brewery are on St. Louis’ official list of haunted places, having been a tragic home for the Lemp family. The family had three members commit suicide in the mansion before they sold the mansion off after losing their fortune.

Haunted tours of the mansion are available year-round, but on the final Saturday of October each year, the haunting gives way to the party.

Tickets went on sale September 15 and cost $45 per person in advance or $50 at the door. The party begins at 8 p.m. and lasts until just after midnight. The primary reason to go is always the costumes.

Past winners in the individual category for costumes include a woman in period garb portraying the “Lavender Lady,” one of the mansion’s resident ghosts, a woman in a Janet Jackson costume complete with exposed breast, and a Michael Jackson costume complete with “molested” child.

Creativity and originality are always key, but so unfortunately, is recognition. Two years ago, a group of my friends dressed as the character’s from American McGee’s Alice In Wonderland video game and though they got many comments on their costumes, no one really knew who they were supposed to be and how well the costumes mirrored the video game. The Cheshire Cat, made up in blue from head to toe, and inscribed with the insane runes from the game, was mistake for Nightcrawler from the X-Men.

Prizes for the best individual costumes usually involve a couple hundred dollars and a stay at the Mansion, which is a bed and breakfast when it is not hosting Halloween parties. Prizes for the best group costumes, usually involved a gourmet dinner at the mansion for everyone in the group and a bar tab for that dinner.

And, as good as the individual costumes can be, the best of show is actually the group costumes. Several groups of friends have made the Mansion a holiday tradition and often try to top the costumes from the year before. One year, the top group was dressed as Shriners, complete with fez hats and cardboard mini-cars that strapped over their shoulders like sandwich boards. That same year, another group came dressed as the Beatles and their wives and significant others came dressed as groupies for the band.

Two years ago, the winning group represented the four seasons, of the year, not the band. Each was a sort of tribute to the season, fall, winter, spring and summer.

The Halloween party at the Lemp Mansion also features an open bar and all-you-can-drink Bacardi punch, labeled, of course, as witches’ brew and food. The first year we attended the party, we made the mistake of eating before we went, assuming that the advertisement that the party was all-you-can-eat meant chips and dip and maybe a veggie tray. It did include those things, but it also included so much more. Their are three buffet tables set up throughout the mansion and the old coach house, which doubles as another party room, and they all have unique party food.

The food has included burgers and bratwurst, fresh fruit and vegetable trays, a cheese and lunch meat tray, mini egg rolls, Swedish meatballs, and more. There is plenty of food for grazing between drinks.

The party also features three live bands, one each on the first and second floors of the mansion and the third in the coach house. Dance music is also pumped into the gazebo and outside bar and there are at least four bars set up in various parts of the mansion as well. Music for the event ranges from blues and modern rock to dance tunes and more classic party music.

The costume contest is judged throughout the night and then the winners are presented in the Gazebo about midnight. There are also usually door prizes handed out at this time too as the bands pack up and the evening winds to a close.
All in all, the party at the Lemp Mansion is one of the best Halloween parties around and the price is reasonable. For right about $10 an hour, you eat and drink as much as you want. Try doing that almost anywhere else.