ST. LOUIS – It normally gets a little cooler around the end of September in St. Louis, but the heat remains for at least a little while longer. That didn’t stop many from attending Saturday’s Zootoberfest at the Saint Louis Zoo.

The family-friendly “Oktoberfest” event provided an opportunity to enjoy food, music, and as always, the animals, even during an unseasonably warm weekend.

“The whole vibe has been amazing today,” said visitor Nicole Larson. “I actually don’t want to leave.”

Larson, who lives in The Hill, took an impromptu walk to the zoo grounds with a friend. She says she enjoyed what she saw.

“We were actually just out for a walk, and we decided to pop into the zoo,” said Larson. “This was a pleasant surprise. All the pumpkins and giant skeletons really gave us a feel for the [Halloween] holiday.”

Connie Tidwell is visiting her daughter from southern Alabama. She says she was surprised by the high temperatures at the end of the month.

“It’s supposed to have been cooler when we got here. I packed for two seasons,” said Tidwell jokingly. “Here at the zoo, we’re going in some of the cooler areas and taking our time touring through.”

While some of the beverages may be better suited for adults, children still have plenty of things to do, from eating gigantic pretzels and riding the carousel and getting faces painted as special Halloween-themed characters.

“My favorite part is all the decorations that are out for Zootoberfest, and just the October and Halloween season,” said Jen Holman, visiting the zoo from Troy, Illinois.

And for the grown-ups, several beer trailers are up around the zoo for your chance to enjoy a special “Zootoberfest beer stein”, with the Zootoberfest logo printed on the side.

The festivities continue on Sunday. For more information on Zootoberfest, click here.