The dawn of a fresh school year at Washington University, much like New Year’s Eve, supplies an opportunity for students to break from past patterns. For many students, that break comes from exploring all that the city has to offer outside of campus. St. Louis hosts many unique events in the first few weeks of school that freshmen who aren’t allowed at fraternities and upperclassmen tired of the normal alike can enjoy.

Christina Wang | Student Life

Art

Alex Prager: Face in the Crowd (now – Nov. 1): This Saint Louis Art Museum exhibit features a quasi-documentary focusing on confessional shorts and an elaborately shot scene.

SMELLS LIKE CONTENT (now – Nov. 1): The Contemporary Art Museum, through its Teen Museum Studies program to educate young adults about the inner workings of art museums, features Cole Lu, a Wash. U. MFA graduate, who was chosen by high school students for the exhibition.

Music

The Glitch Mob: The Pageant will feature the electronic and synth pop group for a concert on Sept. 3 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $22.50, and openers include The M Machine and Chrome Sparks.

Nick Jonas: The former member of the Jonas Brothers, now on his solo tour, comes to St. Louis on Sept. 15 for a show at 7:30 p.m. with opener Bebe Rexha. Tickets are available through the Pageant starting at $27.50.

LouFest: The St. Louis music festival, which has The Avett Brothers, Hozier and Ludacris headlining, comes to town on Sept. 12-13 for two days of music in Forest Park. Tickets for the festival are currently $60 for one day and $95 for two days.

Film

The Tivoli: The theater on the Delmar Loop features an array of independent and throwback films this autumn. The slightly controversial but critically acclaimed “The Diary of a Teenage Girl” about a teenager’s sexual awakening in the 1970s has multiple screenings. The Tivoli will also host midnight throwback screenings, notably of “Space Jam,” “Harold and Maude” and “Spirited Away,” for limited times.

The Magic House Summer Outdoor Movie Series: The St. Louis Children’s Museum’s Magic House will play “Cinderella” (2015) on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. as part of its series of outdoor movies over the summer. Entrance costs $15, which includes the fee for an activity and snack.

Community activities

52nd Annual Moonlight Ramble: This leisurely nighttime bike ride, originally started by Dick Leary in 1964, has grown from a one-man race to an event with entertainment, food and, of course, biking. The ride is on the night of Aug. 29 and starts from St. Louis Union Station at 12:01 a.m. Registration costs $25 for adults.

Lumiere’s Taste of the City on the Landing: On Aug. 29, the Chairman’s Lot at Lumiere Place hosts an event filled with live music, cooking demonstrations and local food provided by downtown St. Louis eateries. This is the first year of the event, which starts at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m.

Cultural events

98th Annual St. Nicholas Greek Festival: The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Forest Park will host a four-day festival to celebrate Greek culture and traditions in St. Louis. The event, which runs from Sept. 4 to Sept. 7, features classic Greek foods, tours, music and Greek folk dancing. Admission to the festival is free. For more information about times, visit the church’s website at sngoc.org.

Festival of Nations: The celebration of international cultures occurs on Aug. 29 through Aug. 30 in Tower Grove Park. The Festival of Nations features international food stations, markets with products from varied places in the world, and an opportunity for arts and crafts. The festival offers free admission.